Rafael Nadal

Spanish favorite, Rafael Nadal has been playing professional tennis for almost 2 decades. In that span of time, he has managed to win 17 Grand Slam singles titles, and hundreds of other titles including some from the French, Australian and US Opens. The last year earned him $41.4 million and he remains as one of the top players in tennis anywhere in the world.

Alex Smith

Alex Smith happened to be the first overall pick during the 2004 NFL Drafts, beginning his career with a bang. And while on the San Francisco 49ers, this quarterback managed to bring his team to victory in his first year on the team. He was later on traded to the Kansas City Chiefs then to the Redskins, like many other players too, but he was signed and given a contract that helped him reach a $41.4 million earnings score the past year alone.