These NFL players cashed in big through incentives

Sam Darnold helped lead the Seattle Seahawks to the top overall seed in the NFC playoffs this season and earned some extra coin to boot.

The quarterback earned $2 million in bonuses for his performance during Seattle's 14-3 regular season. The Seahawks have a bye this weekend and will wait to see how the wild-card playoffs shake out.

Darnold earned an extra $500,000 for eclipsing 4,000 passing yards and an additional $500,000 for having a completion percentage greater than 67.5%. He finished with 4,048 passing yards and a 67.7% mark.

Darnold also picked up a pair of other bonuses based on how the Seahawks performed overall. He cashed another $500,000 because the team finished in the top 10 of the NFL in total offense. Seattle finished eighth. The Seahawks also made the playoffs, which cashed one more $500,000 bonus for Darnold.

He could have more money coming to him, as well.

If the Seahawks win in the divisional round, Darnold's $500,000 for making the playoffs turns into $1 million. If Seattle wins the conference championship, he will make $1.5 million instead. A Super Bowl victory? Darnold's bonus rises to $2.5 million. He must play at least 70% of snaps in playoff games to earn those incentives.

Here are some other incentives earned over the past few weeks by top NFL players. All data is via Roster Management System and ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield

It might not have been the year Mayfield hoped for from an individual and team standpoint, especially with the Bucs missing the playoffs, but he did hit a pair of bonus milestones in his contract.

To earn them, Mayfield needed to finish in either the top 10 of the NFL or top five in the NFC in touchdown passes and total passing yards. He did both, and each category carried a $500,000 bonus, so he cashed in an extra $1 million this season.

Mayfield had the same incentives for passer rating, completion percentage and yards per pass but wasn't able to crack the league or conference leaders list in those categories.

Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle

Few players made out better than Dowdle in terms of incentives. He earned a total of $2.25 million in bonuses this season. That's a nice piece of change considering Dowdle was on a one-year, $2.75 million contract this season.

Dowdle had $500,000 bonuses for reaching 800, 950, 1,100 and 1,350 scrimmage yards. He also needed six combined rushing and receiving touchdowns for an extra $250,000. Dowdle ended up with 1,373 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns (six rushing and one receiving).

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers

Rodgers made $500,000 extra when Ravens kicker Tyler Loop missed a last-minute field goal Sunday and the Steelers made the playoffs. Rodgers would get an extra $600,000 with a wild-card win Monday night against the Houston Texans. If the Steelers win in the divisional round, he'd make another $750,000.

With an AFC championship campaign, Rodgers would earn another $1 million. And a Super Bowl victory would be worth an extra $1.5 million to the legendary quarterback. He'd have to play at least 50% of snaps in each game for the bonuses to kick in.

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen

In his return to the Chargers, Allen had a very solid season -- one that was enough to earn him $3 million in incentives, with the potential for more in the playoffs.

Allen finished with 81 receptions for 777 yards. The former number resulted in $1.5 million in bonuses. The latter number earned him $750,000. On top of that, his number of receptions plus the Chargers making the postseason netted Allen another $750,000.

If the Chargers beat the Patriots on Sunday, they would play in the divisional round, which would bank another $250,000 for Allen. He'd make $250,000 more if they play in the AFC Championship Game and an extra $250,000 on top of that if Los Angeles reaches the Super Bowl.

Washington Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel

Samuel had a host of thresholds to make incentive money and ended up coming away with $700,000 extra by just barely hitting those marks.

Samuel needed 700 or more receiving yards to earn a $250,000 bonus, and he did so with 727 yards through the air. In addition, Samuel cashed a $450,000 bonus by eclipsing 70 receptions. He finished with 72.

Bonus bonuses

• Miami Dolphins linebacker Bradley Chubb reached thresholds that could have earned him $5.15 million in incentives. But he ended up with none of that money because the Dolphins' defense finished outside the top 20 in points per game. The Dolphins were 24th.


• Decorated edge rusher Von Miller of the Washington Commanders picked up a cool extra $1 million after hitting the nine-sack mark this season. His three sacks in the final four games allowed him to reach that threshold.


• San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings cashed a $2.4 million playing time incentive in Week 18. Jennings can make another $600,000 if he plays 35 snaps in the playoffs.


• New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs earned an extra $500,000 when he reached the 1,000-yard mark in receiving yards in Week 18.


• Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard made an extra $250,000 by surpassing 1,050 scrimmage yards and then got another $250,000 when the Panthers made the playoffs.


• Buffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox needed 7 receiving yards and a touchdown in Week 18 to earn a combined $200,000 bonus. He achieved both, finishing with 417 receiving yards and four touchdowns for the season.

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