Well now, let me tell ya ’bout them CFL players and what they make. I heard from some folks down the road, an average CFL player makes ’round $67,238 a year. Ain’t too bad, considering the national average is a bit lower at $65,270. So, these football players, they’re gettin’ a little extra, but not like them big stars in the NFL, no sir.
Now, if you’re thinkin’ about joining the Canadian Football League, you best know the average salary in 2024 for them players is somewhere between $100,000 CAD and $130,000 CAD. That’s the basic pay, mind ya, but sometimes them real big names, like quarterbacks and such, can be makin’ even more, maybe $400,000 CAD or more. Yeah, I know it sounds like a lot, but them quarterbacks, they sure bring in the crowds, so they get paid extra for it.
But don’t go thinkin’ every player’s gonna be makin’ that much. Some of them special team players, they ain’t getting’ much at all. They’re closer to the bottom of the salary scale, so they might only bring in around $65,000 CAD. You know, that’s the minimum set by the collective bargaining deal, so no player can make less than that, ‘cept if they’re from over the seas. Them global players? They get even less, ‘round $54,000 CAD.
Now, let me tell ya somethin’ real interesting. That top player in the league right now, Chad Kelly from the Toronto Argonauts, he signed himself a mighty fine deal. Back in September 2023, he got a three-year contract worth a whopping $1.865 million. Now, that’s what I call big money! I reckon it’s ’cause he’s a quarterback, and quarterbacks are always in the spotlight, they gettin’ all the attention.
So, what does a player get when he’s playin’ in the CFL? Well, they also get themselves a pension. Yup, just like folks who work a regular job, they get some retirement money too. In 2021, a player and the team both put in $4,100 each, so that’s a nice little nest egg for when they’re done with the game.
Here’s a little more breakdown of what’s goin’ on with them salaries:
- The average salary in the 2024 CFL season is about $73,200 CAD. That’s right, not too shabby for playin’ football in Canada!
- Top 25 salaries can be as high as $600,000 CAD. Now, that’s big money! And you best believe it’s them top players gettin’ that kinda pay.
- Quarterbacks like Zach Collaros, who plays for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, he’s makin’ ’round $600,000 CAD, and he’s a two-time CFL Most Outstanding Player. Ain’t too bad for throwin’ that ball around, huh?
- Other players, though – they’re makin’ a lot less. Some might be gettin’ only $60,000 CAD, and that ain’t much, especially if you gotta live in them big cities like Toronto or Vancouver. Costs a lot to live there!
In fact, some of them players only make $81,605 a year, especially if they’re just startin’ out or don’t got too many years under their belt. But I reckon that’s still better than what most folks around here are makin’, so I ain’t complainin’ for ’em.
But don’t be fooled, the CFL don’t make all them salaries public like the NFL does. So, it’s hard to know exactly what everyone’s makin’. Some numbers are just estimates, and they might not be right, but they give us a good idea of what them players are bringing home.
Now, I reckon if you want to be a CFL player, you’d best be ready for some hard work. It’s not like them big-time leagues down south, but there’s still a lot of money to be made if you’re good enough. Ain’t nobody just gonna hand ya a spot on the team, that’s for sure. You gotta earn it, and once you’re in, well, them paychecks ain’t too bad.
So, what’s the bottom line? Well, if you’re thinkin’ ’bout playin’ in the CFL, you’re lookin’ at an average salary of somewhere ‘round $67,238, with a lot of room to go up if you’re a star player. But don’t go thinkin’ everyone’s makin’ that much. Some of them players might only be makin’ $60,000, or maybe less, especially if they’re new to the game or playin’ positions that don’t get much love. But, all in all, it ain’t too bad for a career in Canadian football!
Tags:[CFL, CFL Player Salary, Average Salary CFL Player, Canadian Football League, CFL Player Pay, Football Player Salary, CFL Quarterback Salary]