Matthew Stafford

Ranked number 10 in the highest paid athletes list, Matthew Stafford has been playing for the Detroit Lions as their quarterback since 2009. Earning $59.50 million in the past year from salary and endorsements, his stats can back this incredible number up. With his renewal deal with the Lions in 2017 set at $135 million for another 5 years, he also got the ‘highest-paid player in NFL history at the time.’

Kevin Durant

Considering that basketball has around 1 billion followers, it’s suffice to say that it’s a wildly popular sport. Kevin Durant has been a star player since he was in high school, and given that he earned $57.3 million last year alone, his awards explain why. Not only has his team won two championships, but he has won a number of most valuable player awards as well. But a bunch of his money also comes from endorsements with Nike and Foot Locker.