5 biggest one-year contracts in NFL history ft. Tom Brady and Dak Prescott

NFL contracts come in all different forms. Most superstars usually seek long-term deals with as much guaranteed money and security as possible. Sometimes, a short-term contract provides an excellent opportunity to capitalize on a massive payday while still leaving their options open for later.

There are several examples of huge one-year deals in NFL history, usually in the form of franchise tags and active contract extensions. Here are the five largest ones that have ever been handed out to NFL players, according to Spotrac.

#5 - Carson Palmer - $24.35 million

Arizona Cardinals QB Carson Palmer

Carson Palmer started his career with the Cincinnati Bengals, where he spent his first eight seasons. He then joined the Oakland Raiders for two seasons before ending his career with the Arizona Cardinals, where he spent his final six seasons.

Palmer signed a three-year contract with the Cardinals ahead of the 2015 NFL season worth $49.5 million. He later signed a one-year contract extension worth $24.35 million to keep him with the team until the conclusion of the 2018 season. It was the largest one-year contract ever when he signed it.

#4 - Tom Brady - $25 million

Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Tom Brady

Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback of all time, but he's never been paid that way. This has been by choice for Brady, who has historically taken pay cuts with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers during his career. He prefers his organization to use the additional money to build a better team around him, which has worked out well in the form of six Super Bowl rings.

Tom Brady signed a two-year contract with the Buccaneers in 2020 worth $50 million. He was extended on an additional one-year deal initially worth $25 million, which was later restructured to $15 million ahead of the 2022 NFL season.

#3 - Philip Rivers - $25 million

Indianapolis Colts QB Philip Rivers

Philip Rivers spent the first 16 years of his 17-year NFL career with the Los Angeles Chargers. He has established himself as one of the greatest quarterbacks in Chargers franchise history after his long and successful run with the organization.

Rivers ended his career with the Indianapolis Colts for just one year and helped them make an appearance in the playoffs during the 2020 NFL season. He joined the Colts on a one-year contract worth $25 million and officially announced his retirement at the conclusion of the season.

#2 - Dak Prescott - $31.409 million

Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott

Dak Prescott played out the entire four years on his initial rookie deal with the Dallas Cowboys. It was worth less than three million dollars in total. After failing to come to an agreement with the Cowboys on a long-term contract extension during the 2020 offseason, he received the franchise tag worth more than $31 million for the season.

Dak Prescott holds the record for the largest franchise tag signing in NFL history. He set another record the following year when he signed a four-year contract worth $40 million in AAV, the largest contract by AAV ever when he signed it.

#1 - Kirk Cousins - $35 million

Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins

Kirk Cousins has become somewhat of a legend of the one-year contract. He currently owns three of the top twelve largest one-year contracts in NFL history, including the top spot. His first two were a result of being franchise tagged by the Washington Commanders, while the third came from a contract extension with the Minnesota Vikings.

Cousins initially joined the Vikings in 2018 on a three-year deal worth $84 million. He then signed a two-year extension worth $66 million, followed by an additional one-year deal worth $35 million.