In our 3rd annual installment of tracking the highest paid HBCU alumni who are NFL players, St. Paul’s College alum, Greg Toler leads the way. For the third year in a row, a member of the Indianapolis Colts is the highest paid HBCU alum NFL player. Toler unseats Robert Mathis who led the way the previous two years.
HBCU Money™ FACTS:
- HBCU NFL players combine for $51.44 million down almost 10 percent when HBCU NFL players earned $57.1 million in salaries in 2014.
- Hampton University leads the way with 3 NFL players.
- 14 HBCUs are represented in the NFL. Down from 15 in 2014.
- Average salary for HBCU NFL players is $2 million, a decrease from $2.1 million in 2013. In 2011, the average NFL salary was $1.9 million according to Bloomberg Businessweek.
- Median salary for HBCU NFL players is $1 135 000, a 27 percent increase from 2013. In 2011, the median NFL salary was $777 000 according to Bloomberg Businessweek.
1 – Greg Toler / CB / Indianapolis Colts – $5 500 000
(ST. PAUL’S)
2 – D. Rodgers-Cromartie / CB / Denver Broncos – $5 250 000
(TENNESSEE STATE)
3 – Kendall Langford / DE / St. Louis Rams – $5 000 000
(HAMPTON)
4 – Sammie Hill / DT / Tennessee Titans – $4 000 000
(STILLMAN)
5 – Robert Mathis / DE / Indianapolis Colts – $4 000 000
(ALABAMA A&M)
6 – Antoine Bethea / S / San Francisco 49ers – $3 500 000
(HOWARD)
7 – William Hayes / DE / St. Louis Rams – $3 230 000
(WINSTON-SALEM STATE)
8 – Jason Durant / LB / Atlanta Falcons – $3 043 759
(HAMPTON)
9 – Jason Hatcher / DE / Washington Redskins – $2 953 125
(GRAMBLING STATE)
10 – Jacoby Jones / WR / San Diego Chargers – $2 500 000
(LANE)
11 – Rashean Mathis / CB / Detroit Lions – $2 000 000
(BETHUNE-COOKMAN)
12 – Chris Baker / DL / Washington Redskins – $1 984 375
(HAMPTON)
13 – Rafael Bush / S / New Orleans Saints – $1 950 000
(SOUTH CAROLINA STATE)
14 – Marquette King / P / Oakland Raiders – $1 542 000
(FORT VALLEY STATE)
15 – Tarvaris Jackson / QB / Seattle Seahwaks – $1 500 000
(ALABAMA STATE)
16 – Eric Weems / WR / Atlanta Falcons – $1 345 000
(BETHUNE-COOKMAN)
17 – Anthony Levine / S / Baltimore Ravens – $1 200 000
(TENNESSEE STATE)
18 – Rodney Gunter / DE / Arizona Cardinals – $944 917
(DELAWARE STATE)
Sources: NFL.com, The Guardian, Spotrac