Super Bowl Bonus Money Is Comically Low For Rich Athletes
Winning the Super Bowl might not result in the kind of big bonus money fans might expect.
The Kansas City Chiefs are Super Bowl LVIII champions after defeating the San Francisco 49ers in overtime in an instant classic. That means bonus checks are about to hit their accounts, but don't expect millions to flood in.
The bonus might be a lot smaller than the general public realizes. Despite being the biggest sporting event of the year, members won't earn generational money with their bonus.
How much of a bonus do the Kansas City Chiefs earn for winning the Super Bowl? (Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)
Chiefs receive six-figure Super Bowl bonuses.
Each member of the Chiefs will earn $164,000 in bonus money for beating the 49ers, according to Fortune. Now, it's important to note individual players also have extra bonus clauses.
Patrick Mahomes is set to earn an additional $1.25 million for winning the Super Bowl, according to Bleacher Report. However, that's not the same for the entire roster.
Many players will be stuck with the $164,000 bonuses agreed to in the CBA.
Chiefs players earn Super Bowl bonuses. (Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)
Now, what about the 49ers? While the sting of losing certainly won't ease up for the foreseeable future, they will at least be able to buy a new car to help get over the pain.
Members of the 49ers will receive $89,000 bonuses, according to the same Fortune report.
Is the bonus a bit low?
To be crystal clear, earning $164,000 for a single night of work is an absurd amount of money. It's a staggering amount of cash for a few hours on a football field.
However, if you asked me how much money would be split up for the winning team, I would have guessed it'd be closer to $300,000 a guy.
It's barely half that. After taxes, most guys are probably looking at around $90,000 to $100,000 in bonus money. That's enough for a downpayment on a house in many parts of America, but it's not life-changing money. Not even close. You can blow through $100,000 with a couple bad decisions.
Chiefs will receive Super Bowl bonuses after beating the 49ers. (Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)
Should the bonuses be higher? Is the number already too high? Let me know at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.