Grady Jarrett, Cameron Heyward among NFL’s highest paid, per game, in 2023
Former Georgia high school football stars Grady Jarrett and Cameron Heyward graded out as two of the highest paid NFL players, per game, in 2023, with Jarrett ranking second and Hayward coming in fourth, according to a new study by CasionspotFR.
The rankings were compiled by taking each player’s 2023 base salary and dividing it by the actual number of games they played during the recently completed 2023 season.
The Atlanta Falcons' Grady Jarrett (left) and the Pittsburgh Steelers' Cameron Heyward ranked No. 2 and No. 4, respectively, on the list of the NFL's highest paid players per game in 2023. Both played their high school football in Georgia, with Jarrett staring at Rockdale County and Heyward earning Class 5A Defensive Player of the Year honors, as a senior at Peachtree Ridge.
Jarrett, who was a two-time All-State selection at Rockdale County High School in Conyers, Georgia, who has played his entire NFL career in Georgia with the Atlanta Falcons had a base salary of $16,500,000 in 2023, but was limited to just eight games due to a torn ACL. This made his average salary per game $2,062,500, which was second only to Tennessee Titans’ quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who averaged $2,700,000 while appearing in 10 games last season.
Jarrett was a four year starter at Rockdale County and accumulated 198 tackles, including 63 for loss, and 27.5 sacks over his final two seasons. He then went to Clemson where he made 207 tackles and 5.5 sacks in four seasons, earning 1st-Team All ACC honors in 2014. He was 5th round selection by the Falcons in the 2015 NFL Draft and was named to the Pro Bowl in 2019 and 2020, earning 2nd-Team All-Pro honors in 2019.
Heyward has been one of the most dominant defensive players in the game from his high school days right through his 13-year NFL career, all with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played in 11 games during the 2023 season when he earned a base salary of $15,850,000 or $1,440,909 per game, placing him fourth on the list of highest paid NFL players, per game, in 2023.
Heyward was born in Pittsburgh, but played his high school football at Peachtree Ridge High School in Suwanee. In 2006, he had more than 100 tackles and 16 sacks, as senior, to earned Georgia 5A Defensive Player of the Year honors, while leading his team to a share of the Class 5A state championship. He then attended Ohio State where he made an immediate impact as a true freshman, earning Freshman All-American honors. In four seasons with the Buckeyes, he appeared in 52 games, made 163 tackles, including 37.5 for loss, recorded 15.5 sacks and forced six fumbles. He was 1st-Team Big 10 as a senior.
Pittsburgh made him its first round selection in 2011 and he has been selected to the Pro Bowl six times. Three times Hayward has been named 1st-Team All Pro (2017, 2019 and 2021) and once 2nd-Team All Pro (2020). In the NFL, he has 647 tackles, 80.5 sacks, eight forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries, 47 pass deflections and two interceptions.
The following graphic details the 10 highest paid, per game, NFL stars in 2023.
