Friday Morning Cup O’Chiefs
Over at USA Today they got their hands on the 2008 salary numbers for the entire NFL.
In fact, the newspaper has a data base that covers NFL salaries for the last nine seasons. You can check it out yourself right here.
Now, before we get started, a note on these numbers: in the past, there has always been discrepancies in the figures that USA Today gets from the NFL Players Association and what the clubs have listed on their payrolls. Generally, those differences come down not to wrong figures but different methodology.
These numbers are in the ballpark. If they weren’t, you wouldn’t be reading them here.
According to USA Today, the highest paid player in the NFL this year is Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (right), who will cash by the end of the year $27.7 million in salary and bonuses. The highest paid defensive player was former Chiefs defensive end Jared Allen, who hit the jackpot with Minnesota as he’ll collect $21,119,256 from the Vikings in salary and bonuses.
The newspaper says the highest-paid member of the Chiefs this season will be first-round draft choices Branden Albert and Glenn Dorsey. USA Today reports Albert will take home nearly $9.5 million this year, while Dorsey’s rookie contract was structured differently and he’ll pocket $6.93 million.
After the rookies, the top 10 for the Chiefs in salary and bonuses rounds out with: CB Pat Surtain ($6 million), LG Brian Waters ($5.28 million), LB Demorrio Williams ($4 million), LB Donnie Edwards ($3.75 million), RB Larry Johnson ($3.6 million), P Dustin Colquitt ($3.13 million), CB Brandon Flowers ($3.03 million) and QB Damon Huard ($2.63 million).
Look at those 10 players and only four have played in every game this season: Dorsey, Waters, Williams and Flowers. Albert, Surtain, Edwards, Colquitt and Huard have missed time because of injuries. Johnson has been off three games because of team sanctions and a one-game NFL suspension that he’s serving this week.
Williams and WR Devard Darling ($2 million) were the big free agent signings by the Chiefs before the ‘08 season and both are no longer in the starting lineup. That cost the team $4 million in signing bonuses.
Top 20 Highest Paid Players
 |
 Player |  Team |  Pos. | Total Pay (In Millions) |
| 1. | Ben Roethlisberger | PIT | QB | $27.7 |
| 2. | Jared Allen | MIN | DE | $21.1 |
| 3. | Larry Fitzgerald | ARZ | WR | $17.1 |
| 4. | JaMarcus Russell | OAK | QB | $16.87 |
| 5. | Michael Turner | ATL | RB | $16.0 |
| 6. | Chris Snee | NYG | G | $14.89 |
| 7. | Asante Samuel | PHL | CB | $14.14 |
| 8. | Randy Moss | NE | WR | $14.006 |
| 9. | Flozell Adams | DAL | T | $14.005 |
| 10. | Tommy Kelly | OAK | DT | $13.97 |
| 11. | Terrell Owens | DAL | WR | $13.73 |
| 12. | Bernard Berrian | MIN | WR | $13.70 |
| 13. | Michael Roos | TEN | T | $13.50 |
| 14. | Jeff Faine | TB | C | $13.1 |
| 15. | Will Smith | NO | DE | $12.95 |
| 16. | Tony Romo | DAL | QB | $12.88 |
| 17. | Travelle Wharton | CAR | G | $12.85 |
| 18. | Antwan Odom | CIN | DE | $12.8 |
| 19. | Terence Newman | DAL | CB | $12.61 |
| 20. | Marion Barber | DAL | RB | $12.52 |
When it comes down to base salary for this year, Surtain has the highest number at $5.65 million, followed by Donnie Edwards ($3.25 million).
Under the league’s salary cap regulations, Surtain has the highest cap number for this year at $8.38 million, followed by Waters ($6.08 million), Larry Johnson ($5.65 million) and TE Tony Gonzalez ($5.03 million).
And that big 12-man draft class did not come cheaply for the Chiefs, as they will pay out over $21 million in signing and roster bonuses to those dozen players who are all now on the team’s active roster going into Sunday’s game in San Diego.
USA Today’s figures say the Chiefs have the smallest payroll in the NFL this season with the highest being the Oakland Raiders.
An interesting note: the five biggest payrolls are Oakland, Dallas, Minnesota, Cleveland and New Orleans. Combined, those teams are 18-23.
The bottom five payrolls are the Chiefs, Baltimore, New England, Indianapolis and Green Bay. Those teams are a combined 19-21.
FROM THE PAGES OF CHIEFS HISTORY
On November 7, 1971, the Chiefs lost to the New York Jets 13-10 at Shea Stadium. In a defensive battle that was played in less than two hours and 30 minutes, the Chiefs and Jets were tied 10-10 at half-time. The Chiefs score came on a six-yard pass from QB Len Dawson to RB Mike Adamle. It was Bobby Howfield’s 39-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter that proved to be the winning points. The teams combined for 323 yards, but Dawson threw a pair of interceptions. Jets RB John Riggins ran for 63 yards on 11 carries.
On November 7, 1976, the Chiefs lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers 45-0 at Arrowhead Stadium. The Steelers dominated the Chiefs, holding the Kansas City offense to 34 rushing yards on the afternoon. Pittsburgh had four interceptions of Mike Livingston, including one by Hall of Fame CB Mel Blount. The Steelers had two runners go over 100 yards: Franco Harris went for 117 yards and Rocky Bleier gained 102 yards. Harris and backup FB Jack Deloplaine each had a p air of TD runs. “I don’t think I’ll ever forget this game,” Chiefs head coach Paul Wiggin said afterwards. “It’s a black mark.”
OPPONENT NEXT/SAN DIEGO
Philip Rivers talks about the first half of his season and what he expects for himself and his team over the next eight weeks.
AROUND THE LEAGUE
Things are not going well down in Jacksonville where Jack De Rio is clashing with a number of players, including LB Mike Peterson who he sent home for a second consecutive day.
OK, this qualifies as major gossip (I’m told) and it involves a NFL player and a former live-in for Hugh Hefner.
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The Broncos scored 21 points in the fourth quarter to come from behind and beat the Browns last night in Cleveland 34-30.
“You can only bite your lip and play football,” says Raiders CB Nnamdi Asomugha of the crazy situation around the team this past week with the release of CB DeAngelo Hall.
Sorry to get you guys excited about a potential Ponies loss. I watched this one and let me tell you, Cleveland is a legitimate JOKE. Except for Brady Quinn that is, who looked like he’s been starting since day 1; very poised. Their defense is awful, Braylon Edwards is overrated and Jay Cutler threw the ball wherever he wanted to with Peyton Hillis as his only healthy RB in the second half.
Chiefs sign Safety Oliver Celestin today, Page must not be ready to go.
MikeO you are joking, right. Celestin is not young (remember the rebuild that ran without any veterans since the 2008 draft) and he is not terribly good (to many teams and did not catch on). Hate Page all you want but the team is not supposed to get weaker with additions. If this is a herm choice, shame on him.
WTF? Where did you get the idea anyone hated Page? Just a note I found on NFL.com and Bob reported later.
Well if you look at this article, at least we aren’t the RAIDERS! Highest payroll and still terrible. How’s Jamarcus Russel working out for them? Goes to show that a top 5 QB doesn’t always pan out (with many other examples available from other year drafts). I hope the highest pick we spend on a QB this year is a 2nd or 3rd, they are just too hit or miss to spend a 1st round pick.
good info. Out of the highest paid chiefs, only Albert and Flowers have deserved it IMO.
I think Dustin is great, but it is sad when a punter is among your highest paid. We sure use him alot.
Kind of interesting that LJ isn’t the top salary. Even with creative structuring, I would have expected him to be in the top 2 or 3.
More sorry to see that Morgan is a no go than Page. Nothing against Page, just would like to see Morgan get more of a chance. I’m not a Page hater like MikeO…:) That’s funny.
Ryan L
I think you’ll find that the odds of getting a good QB are about 30 times worse when you draft one round 2 and later as opposed to round 1. QBs taken in round 1 have a similar “bust” rate as most all positions, they are just publicized more. I hope Thigpen continues to play well, but if he reverts back to what he was against Atlanta, you’d better pray the Chiefs have a worthy QB prospect sitting there when they make their top choice in April. A few more solid games out of Thigpen though and I’ll get off my soapbox and cheer for the Chiefs to draft another great OT or perhaps a MLB or WR with their top pick.
Roethlisberger reverted back to what Thigpen was against Atlanta. What’s up with that?!?
I think the fact that the Chiefs have so much cash available is a solid example that the organization isn’t making winning a priority. Get some flipping talent in here. I am not saying blow all of our cash on free agents or to abandon the youth movement, but I think we would have been protecting our investment in Brodie if we would have spent some cash on a solid RT. I mean come on, and Colby I usually really agree with your comments but I think it would be the dumbest thing on earth to put a highly paid rookie QB behind this O-line. Big mistake. I think our priorities are a solid right tackle. For that matter I don’t thin we can afford to wait on O-line. The line is too critical for the offense, that is where you throw some cash around.