Tom Brady salary: How much did the Buccaneers QB earn in 2021?

Tom Brady is referred to as one of the greatest quarterbacks to play in the NFL, and he continues to prove that in 2021 at the age of 44. He's played for more than 20 seasons between the New England Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, winning a total of seven Super Bowls.

As a five-time Super Bowl MVP, three-time NFL MVP, and the winningest quarterback in NFL history, one would assume Tom Brady is one of the best-paid NFL players ever.

The truth is Tom Brady earned just over $280 million from his NFL contracts over the last 22 seasons. It may seem like a lot, but it averages to about $13.9 million per year.

In retrospect, the highest-paid player this year, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, has a contract worth $450 million, almost twice as much as Brady's lifetime earnings. Mahomes is also set to earn about $44 million per year over the next decade. Tom Brady's cap number for 2021 is the 15th-highest among quarterbacks.

Tom Brady's earnings and incentives for the 2021 season

For the 2021 season, Tom Brady has a cap hit of $10.5 million with total earnings of $27.5 million, making him the highest-paid player in this year's Super Bowl. That's not bad at all since Tom Brady is playing on a stacked roster. Still, it's nowhere near the highest in the NFL, but that's common for Brady.

While with the Patriots, Brady was known to take a discounted contract in order to build the team around him. He eventually cashed in with Tampa Bay, making more money per year than he ever did with the Patriots.

On top of his $27.5 million, Tom Brady also has incentives built into his contract for the playoffs. He will earn an extra $1.12 million for being a top-five quarterback in passing yards and passing touchdowns.

A playoff berth earns him $500,000. A win in the Wildcard Round gets him $750,000, while victory in the Divisional Round accounts for $1.25 million. Winning the NFC Conference Championship adds $1.75 million, and winning the Super Bowl comes with a bonus of $2.25 million.

The Buccaneers are already in the playoffs and Brady could earn a total of $6.5 million by winning the Super Bowl this season. That would give him more than $32 million in earnings this year, which is nothing to shake your head at as a 44-year-old in the NFL.