In the glitzy, high-stakes world of the NFL, where the drama off the field can sometimes rival the heart-stopping moments on it, a fascinating financial phenomenon known as “dead money” plays a crucial role behind the scenes.
The Broncos now take on an $85M dead money hit, an NFL record! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/I9RAmvMcJ8
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) March 4, 2024
What is the biggest dead cap hits in NFL history? In the NFL 2023 season, the spotlight isn’t just on the touchdowns and tackles but also on the ledger books, revealing which franchises are feeling the pinch of these spectral financial burdens the most. According to Roster Management System, the $85 million hit is actually bigger than the combined sum of the next two closest.
The NFL salary cap has increased over the past 10 years, reaching a record $255.4 million per team in 2024, up 13.6% from the previous year. As a result, organizations are becoming increasingly accustomed to paying large dead cap penalties in order to terminate burdensome contracts.
Now, let’s have a look at which sports teams have lost the most money.
The following five teams, all of whom have emerged since 2022, have each carried the highest amount of dead money on their cap in a single season:
1. Bears of Chicago, 2022
$91.8 million in dead money
Khalil Mack has the most cap charge at $24 million.
2. The 2022 Atlanta Falcons
Amounts lost: $87.6 million
Matt Ryan has the highest cap charge ($40,500,000).
3. The 2022 Houston Texans
$81.3 million in dead money
Deshaun Watson had the highest cap charge ($16.2-million).
4. The 2023 Los Angeles Rams
Amounts lost: $79.6 million
Allen Robinson II had the most cap charge ($21.4 million).
5. The 2023 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Amounts lost: $79.6 million
Tom Brady was charged the highest cap, $35.1 million.
One of the Redditos also shared some names:
[Nanduri] Largest dead cap hits in NFL history: Russell Wilson ($85M) Matt Ryan ($40.53M) Aaron Rodgers ($40.31M) Carson Wentz ($33.8M) Russell Wilson, again ($26M) To call this historic is an understatement.
byu/Brix001 innfl
It’s a dance of dollars and decisions, where a team’s past gambles can significantly impact its current roster and future flexibility. In this high-stakes environment, managing dead money effectively becomes as crucial as scouting talent or calling plays.
From eye-watering sums attached to stars long gone to savvy maneuvers that minimize these fiscal hauntings, the story of dead money in the NFL is as riveting as any game-day showdown.
Explore the full analysis and find your way to the heart of NFL action, no matter where you are, watch NFL 2023-24 outside USA on ESPN+. Let’s dive into the fascinating world of dead money, a reminder that in the NFL, every decision leaves a legacy, and every dollar tells a story.
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