Highest Total-Value Contracts in North American Sports
In the NBA, the largest total-value contract on record belongs to Stephen Curry, whose five-year extension with the Golden State Warriors is worth approximately $201 million, including $178 million guaranteed, as reported by Forbes. In the NHL, Connor McDavid's eight-year, $100 million contract with the Edmonton Oilers, signed in 2017, remains one of the richest deals on a per-season basis, with an average annual value of $12.5 million. In the NFL, the largest fully guaranteed contract belongs to Deshaun Watson, whose six-year deal with the Cleveland Browns, signed in 2022, carries roughly $230 million in total value with $185 million guaranteed, according to ESPN. In MLB, Shohei Ohtani's 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, signed in December 2023, is the largest in baseball history, with $680 million guaranteed and an opt-out after the 2033 season. Read the Forbes breakdown of Ohtani's deal.
In the NHL, Connor McDavid's eight-year, $100 million contract with the Edmonton Oilers, signed in 2017, remains one of the richest deals on a per-season basis, with an average annual value of $12.5 million. In the NFL, the largest fully guaranteed contract belongs to Deshaun Watson, whose six-year deal with the Cleveland Browns, signed in 2022, carries roughly $230 million in total value with $185 million guaranteed, according to ESPN. ESPN details Watson's contract structure.
Largest Guaranteed and Average Annual Value Deals
NBA and NFL Guaranteed Money Leaders
In the NBA, Stephen Curry's extension with the Golden State Warriors features the highest guaranteed total in league history, with roughly $178 million guaranteed over five years, per Forbes. In the NFL, Deshaun Watson's six-year deal with the Cleveland Browns includes $185 million guaranteed, making it the largest guaranteed contract in league history, according to ESPN. Forbes tracks the largest guaranteed figures in sports.
MLB and NHL Average Annual Value Records
In MLB, Shohei Ohtani's 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers carries an average annual value of $70 million, the highest in baseball history, as reported by ESPN. In the NHL, Connor McDavid's eight-year, $100 million contract with the Edmonton Oilers has an average annual value of $12.5 million, which remains among the highest in the league, per ESPN. ESPN details Ohtani's average annual value.
Soccer and Global Sports
In global soccer, Cristiano Ronaldo's two-year contract with Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, signed in December 2022, is reported