The 2023 season proved to be quite lucrative for Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. A few days ago, the NFLPA announced its annual bonus distribution, and if reports are to be believed, Mahomes and Kelce have unsurprisingly topped the charts by getting bonuses worth $3.6 million and $2.4 million, respectively. Interestingly, the two of them were among the top five bonus earners last year as well.
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NEWS: #Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes made an extra 3.6 MILLION DOLLARS & Travis Kelce made $2.4 million through the NFLPA last year, according to records.
Both of them were two of the five highest earners last year. pic.twitter.com/zg7AI7lSwF
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) June 5, 2024
Being an NFL player is undeniably one of the most rewarding professions in the world. The widespread fame one garners from the game is enough to help players earn 24/7, 365 days a year. While there are brand endorsements and paid promotions on one side, the NFLPA also supports players by giving them a fair cut [bonus] from the money the league has earned via the players’ imaging rights.
The bonus or the earnings is distributed to all the NFL players and even to yesteryear stars as long as their name is helping the league rake in the moolah. According to Kevin Badenhausen of Sportico, a player’s earnings from the NFLPA consist of remuneration from licensing deals and royalties on jerseys.
“The earnings are from all group licensing deals, which include those for multiple players negotiated through the NFLPA, such as video games, jerseys and trading cards. Players get paid royalties based on sales of items like jerseys,” Badenhausen explained.
The best part about this distribution system is that it allows even lesser-known players to have skin in the game. As per reports, nearly every player in the league receives a minimum of $32,000 as a bonus from the NFLPA. Safe to say, it is a system that treats everyone fairly. But every system has its standouts, and the likes of Mahomes, Kelce, Jalen Hurts [$2.7 million], and Josh Allen [$2.5 million] are the toppers among them.
While fans weren’t surprised by the names on the list, a few wondered how much effect Taylor Swift’s presence in Travis Kelce’s life must have had on his bonus earnings. As it turns out, one look at the statistics shows that Swift has made a massive contribution to increasing the star TE’s popularity.
How Much Contribution Does Taylor Swift Have in This Payout for Travis Kelce?
On the day when the first round of rumors circulated about the Kelce-Swift romance, Travis Kelce saw a 70 percent spike in search interest on Google about his name, as reported by WWD. As the rumors grew and the duo became a couple, the Chiefs TE also saw his Instagram following grow from 1.1 million to 6.4 million today.
As far as t-shirt sales are concerned, Swift’s consistent appearances at the Chiefs’ stadium rocking her beau’s jersey resulted in a 400% spike in sales of the TE’s jersey. The Chiefs superstar also saw a massive influx of viewership in his ‘New Heights’ podcast, with the podcast constantly topping Apple’s charts.
While it’s hard to quantify a number or a percentage that can be attributed to Taylor Swift from this payout, the above-mentioned details do say enough. Commercials aside, the couple look really happy with each other. Here’s hoping that the couple’s fairytale romance goes from strength to strength.
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