Shedeur Sanders Breaks Tom Brady's Record With $17 Million Triumph
For those still criticizing Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders following an uneven rookie season, the 24-year-old signal-caller flaunted a major win in their faces this week.
According to an annual report from the NFL Players Association, Sanders earned a whopping $17.7 million in group licensing income during his rookie season, breaking Tom Brady's single-season record of $9.5 million set back in 2021.
Sanders' group licensing income trumped his $1.005 million rookie salary by 17 times.
According to Font Office Sports, "Group licensing encompasses deals that include six or more players, the most typical of which are jerseys, trading cards, video games, and other collectibles. In addition to royalties, the NFLPA figures also include player marketing income from appearances and hospitality promotions.
"Group licensing does not include individual deals like Sanders has with Gatorade, Delta Airlines, Beats by Dre and Ralph Lauren. Taking into account his personal endorsement deals, Sanders likely pulled in well north of $20 million in off-the-field earnings, an incredible sum for a rookie fifth-round pick but perhaps not that surprising given his celebrity and the media attention showered on him."
While some still question whether or not Sanders is the Browns’ future under center, there’s no denying his popularity or marketability in the eyes of NFL fans.
Sanders threw for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions last year across eight games. He did enough to convince Browns coaches he at least deserves a shot to compete with Deshaun Watson and win the permanent starting job in 2026.
If Watson beats him out, it’s possible Sanders could be dealt at the NFL trade deadline in November. The New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals are two teams that could be looking for a QB upgrade around then, and it could be argued that Sanders is already an upgrade over the options both teams currently have in Geno Smith and Jacoby Brissett, respectively.
Sanders wasn't the only one to break Brady's record, however. Former Colorado teammate and Jacksonville Jaguars two-way star Travis Hunter also did so, earning $12.8 million in group licensing income.
The rest of the top five was rounded out by Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes ($8 million), Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan ($4.5 million), and Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley ($4.3 million), respectively.
Minnesota Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy topped the same list with $4 million the previous season.
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This story was originally published May 30, 2026 at 11:04 AM.