The average NFL player pay is $860,000. Not a bad living, but well short of the $2 million that receives more attention. In comparison, a starting one-year rookie earns a minimum of $435,000. There are also other incentives for performance and position that can increase a player's pay further. Now, this doesn't include perks like free food and lodging or cars provided by teams. Neither does it include bonuses if you make the roster or win games awards. In fact, according to Forbes, here are the top 10 highest-paid athletes in the world: 1. LeBron James - $47 million 2. Lionel Messi - $45 million 3. Peyton Manning - $43 million 4. Andy Reid - $40 million 5. Jerry Jones - $40 million 6. Alex Rodriguez - $36 million 7. Stephen Curry - $35 million 8. Tom Brady - $34 million 9. Michael Jordan - $33 million 10. Bill Russell - $32 million These are all single season salaries.