NFL and NBA dynasty masterminds dominate top 10 highest paid US coaches list
Dollars are rife in American sports. Per Statista, the NFL generated a total of $20.24 billion in revenue across all 32 teams in 2023, the highest figure ever recorded, and an increase of almost $2 billion from the previous year. The NFL is a multi-billionaire dollar enterprise, helped by stars like Mahomes and KelceGetty The average NFL franchise is worth around $5.6 billion in 2024, with the $10 billion-value Dallas Cowboys sitting at the top of the mountain. The NBA isn’t too far behind. The Association reportedly generated $11.34 billion in revenue during the 2023-24 season, an increase of over $700 million from the previous year. The average revenue per franchise for the 2023-24 season was $377.97 million, which is over $20 million more than the previous year and more than double the amount from ten years prior. Per Forbes, the Golden State Warriors are the most valuable team for the third straight year, worth $8.8 billion — twice the league average. Making it as a player is one thing, but making it as a head coach is another. There are only 30 and 32 head coaching positions in the NBA and NFL, respectively, making them among the most coveted jobs in the world. That, unsurprisingly, makes them extremely lucrative roles, and it’s no shock that the the top ten highest paid coaches in US sports for 2024 are dominated by NBA and NFL icons and champions. According to Sportico, Kansas City Chiefs head honcho Andy Reid is the highest paid professional coach in the country. His Chiefs are currently bid for an unprecedented Super Bowl three-peat, and the 66-year-old was rewarded with a bumper five-year contract extension worth around $100 million this offseason. Reid is the highest paid coach in all of American sportsGetty Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr is the highest paid coach in the NBAGetty Big Red’s $20 million salary puts him ahead of a rather surprising name in second spot. Denver Broncos gave Sean Payton the keys to the organization when they tempted him out of retirement in January 2023, an $18 million salary this year in average annual value (AAV) probably helping to smooth the deal. Third place goes to Warriors guru Steve Kerr, who also led Team USA to men’s basketball gold at the Olympics in Paris. Kerr is a nine-time NBA champion, having won five titles as a player (three with Michael Jordan‘s Chicago Bulls and two with the San Antonio Spurs), and four as head coach of the Warriors. The 59-year-old former sharpshooter is the highest paid coach in the NBA this season, raking in a cool $17.5 million. His old mentor, Gregg Popovich, is fourth on the list. Coach Pop has been a member of the Spurs organization since 1994, as president of basketball operations and general manager before taking over as coach in 1996. The 75-year-old is the longest tenured active coach in the NBA as well as all other major sports leagues in the United States, and has the most wins of any coach in NBA history. He is one of just five coaches in NBA history to win five or more NBA titles and San Antonio are paying him $17 million for the 2024-25 NBA season. Pittsburgh Steelers ever-present Mike Tomlin — arguably the NFL Coach of the Year through twelve weeks of the season — is tied for fifth on the list with $16 million-per-season. The Super Bowl XLIII champion is joined by new Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh, who might not have a Lombardi Trophy but signed a five-year deal with the Bolts after winning a NCAA national title with Michigan last season. There’s a three-way tie for seventh on the list. NBA championship-winning head coaches Erik Spoelstra and Tyronn Lue are joined by Los Angeles Rams offensive mastermind Sean McVay in making $15 million per season. Coach Spo (Miami Heat) and Ty Lue (Los Angeles Clippers) have two distinct things in common: they’re both earning $15 million per season and all of their titles came courtesy of LeBron James. ‘King James’ won two chips with Spoelstra’s Heat in 2012 and 2013, and delivered Lue his first and only ring as a head coach while a member of the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers. San Francisco 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan, beaten by Reid’s Chiefs in two Super Bowls (LIV and LVIII), rounds out the top ten highest paid coaches in the US with $14 million per season.
Dollars are rife in American sports.
Per Statista, the NFL generated a total of $20.24 billion in revenue across all 32 teams in 2023, the highest figure ever recorded, and an increase of almost $2 billion from the previous year.
The average NFL franchise is worth around $5.6 billion in 2024, with the $10 billion-value Dallas Cowboys sitting at the top of the mountain.
The NBA isn’t too far behind.
The Association reportedly generated $11.34 billion in revenue during the 2023-24 season, an increase of over $700 million from the previous year.
The average revenue per franchise for the 2023-24 season was $377.97 million, which is over $20 million more than the previous year and more than double the amount from ten years prior.
Per Forbes, the Golden State Warriors are the most valuable team for the third straight year, worth $8.8 billion — twice the league average.
Making it as a player is one thing, but making it as a head coach is another.
There are only 30 and 32 head coaching positions in the NBA and NFL, respectively, making them among the most coveted jobs in the world.
That, unsurprisingly, makes them extremely lucrative roles, and it’s no shock that the the top ten highest paid coaches in US sports for 2024 are dominated by NBA and NFL icons and champions.
According to Sportico, Kansas City Chiefs head honcho Andy Reid is the highest paid professional coach in the country.
His Chiefs are currently bid for an unprecedented Super Bowl three-peat, and the 66-year-old was rewarded with a bumper five-year contract extension worth around $100 million this offseason.
Big Red’s $20 million salary puts him ahead of a rather surprising name in second spot.
Denver Broncos gave Sean Payton the keys to the organization when they tempted him out of retirement in January 2023, an $18 million salary this year in average annual value (AAV) probably helping to smooth the deal.
Third place goes to Warriors guru Steve Kerr, who also led Team USA to men’s basketball gold at the Olympics in Paris.
Kerr is a nine-time NBA champion, having won five titles as a player (three with Michael Jordan‘s Chicago Bulls and two with the San Antonio Spurs), and four as head coach of the Warriors.
The 59-year-old former sharpshooter is the highest paid coach in the NBA this season, raking in a cool $17.5 million.
His old mentor, Gregg Popovich, is fourth on the list.
Coach Pop has been a member of the Spurs organization since 1994, as president of basketball operations and general manager before taking over as coach in 1996.
The 75-year-old is the longest tenured active coach in the NBA as well as all other major sports leagues in the United States, and has the most wins of any coach in NBA history.
He is one of just five coaches in NBA history to win five or more NBA titles and San Antonio are paying him $17 million for the 2024-25 NBA season.
Pittsburgh Steelers ever-present Mike Tomlin — arguably the NFL Coach of the Year through twelve weeks of the season — is tied for fifth on the list with $16 million-per-season.
The Super Bowl XLIII champion is joined by new Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh, who might not have a Lombardi Trophy but signed a five-year deal with the Bolts after winning a NCAA national title with Michigan last season.
There’s a three-way tie for seventh on the list. NBA championship-winning head coaches Erik Spoelstra and Tyronn Lue are joined by Los Angeles Rams offensive mastermind Sean McVay in making $15 million per season.
Coach Spo (Miami Heat) and Ty Lue (Los Angeles Clippers) have two distinct things in common: they’re both earning $15 million per season and all of their titles came courtesy of LeBron James.
‘King James’ won two chips with Spoelstra’s Heat in 2012 and 2013, and delivered Lue his first and only ring as a head coach while a member of the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers.
San Francisco 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan, beaten by Reid’s Chiefs in two Super Bowls (LIV and LVIII), rounds out the top ten highest paid coaches in the US with $14 million per season.
