Check out this list of salaries paid to athletes with Hawai‘i ties.
After being released by the Miami Dolphins in March, Hawaiʻi’s Tua Tagovailoa signed a one-year “prove it” contract with the Atlanta Falcons for the veteran minimum of $1,215,000.
No need to feel sorry for the seven-year veteran: The former Saint Louis School standout will also receive a $53 million cash payout from the Dolphins, stemming from the four-year $212.4 million contract extension that he signed in July 2024.
Thus, it’s no surprise that Tagovailoa once again tops our list of Hawaiʻi’s highest-paid professional athletes.
Meanwhile, another former Saint Louis Crusader, Nick Herbig, has made the biggest jump on our list. In June, the fourth-year outside linebacker who still had a year left on his rookie contract, signed a four-year $100 million contract extension with the Pittsburgh Steelers, including a signing bonus of nearly $20 million. Although he’s only started 11 games in his career, Herbig’s ability to pressure quarterbacks, he has 16 sacks and 32 QB hits, makes him an important weapon in the Steelers’ defense.
Here is our list of athletes with Hawaiʻi ties and their 2026 salaries. Our primary source is Spotrac.com, a website that tracks the contracts of athletes in major professional sports leagues.
1. Tua Tagovailoa — $54,000,000
Quarterback | Atlanta Falcons
ʻEwa Beach, Saint Louis School
Details: One-year $1.215 million contract with Atlanta plus $52.785 million paid by his previous team, the Miami Dolphins
2. DeForest Buckner — $23,000,000
Defensive Tackle | Indianapolis Colts
Waiʻanae, Punahou School
Details: Two-year $46 million contract extension (2025-2026), including a $10 million roster bonus
3. Nick Herbig — $21,000,000
Linebacker | Pittsburgh Steelers
Kalāheo (Kauaʻi), Saint Louis School
Details: Five-year $100 million contract (2026-2030), including a $19.686 million signing bonus
4. Isaac Suemalo — $12,610,000
Guard | Arizona Cardinals
Born in Honolulu
Details: Three-year $31.5 million contract (2026-2028), including an $8.5 million signing bonus and a $100,000 workout bonus
5. Kaʻimi Fairbairn — $7,776,000
Placekicker | Houston Texans
Kailua, Punahou School
Details: Three-year $13 million contract (2026-2028), including a $6 million signing bonus and a roster bonus of $280,000
6. Alohi Gilman — $7,500,000
Safety | Kansas City Chiefs
Lāʻie, Kahuku High
Details: Three-year $24 million contract (2026-2028), including a $6 million signing bonus and $250,000 workout bonus
7. Deʻzhaun Stribling — $7,073,536
Wide Receiver | San Francisco 49ers
Kapolei, Kapolei High
Details: Four-year $13,376,740 contract (2026-2029), including a $6,188,536 signing bonus
8. Marcus Mariota — $7,000,000
Quarterback | Washington Commanders
Honolulu, Saint Louis School
Details: One-year $7 million contract (2026), including a $5 million signing bonus, $450,000 roster bonus and $100,000 workout bonus
9. Isiah Kiner-Falefa — $6,000,000
Utility | Boston Red Sox
Honolulu, Mid-Pacific Institute
Details: One-year $6 million contract
10. Kirby Yates — $5,000,000
Relief Pitcher | Pittsburgh Pirates
Līhuʻe, Kauai High
Details: One-year $5 million contract
11. Andrei Iosivas — $3,674,000
Wide Receiver | Cincinnati Bengals
Honolulu, Punahou School
Details: Four-year $3,999,384 contract (2023-2026), plus an additional $883,864 after fulfilling the NFL’s “Proven Performance Escalator” criteria
12. Rigoberto Sanchez — $2,500,000
Punter | Indianapolis Colts
University of Hawaiʻi
Details: Three-year $7.5 million contract (2024-2026)
13. Tolu Smith — $2,411,090
Power Forward | Detroit Pistons
Kahuku High
Details: Two-year $2,481,728 contract (2025-2027)
14. Tetairoa McMillan — $2,109,563
Wide Receiver | Carolina Panthers
Waimānalo
Details: Four-year $27,930,390 contract (2025-2028), including a $1,104,563 roster bonus
15. Jonah Savaiinaea — $1,354,658
Guard | Miami Dolphins
Saint Louis School
Details: Four-year $11,322,475 contract (2025-2028), including a $4,874,528 signing bonus
16. Roman Wilson — $1,317,288
Wide Receiver | Pittsburgh Steelers
Kīhei, Saint Louis School
Details: Four-year $5,745,168 contract (2024-2027)
17. Marist Liufau — $1,312,410
Linebacker | Dallas Cowboys
Honolulu, Punahou School
Details: Four-year $5,691,514 contract (2024-2027)
18. Jamin Davis — $1,215,000
Outside Linebacker | Pittsburgh Steelers
Born in Honolulu
Details: One-year $1.215 million contract
19. Dillon Gabriel — $1,123,015
Quarterback | Cleveland Browns
Mililani, Mililani High
Details: Four-year $6,226,322 contract (2025-2028), including a $118,015 roster bonus
20. Darius Muasau — $1,075,000
Linebacker | New York Giants
Mililani High, University of Hawaiʻi
Details: Four-year $4,220,912 contract (2024-2027)
21. Jonah Laulu — $1,075,000
Defensive Tackle | Las Vegas Raiders
University of Hawaiʻi
Details: Four-year $4,124,520 contract (2024-2027)
22. Kapena Gushiken — $910,000
Safety | Philadelphia Eagles
Pukalani, Kamehameha Schools (Maui)
Details: Three-year $3.125 million contract (2026-2028), including a $25,000 signing bonus
23. Rico Garcia — $900,000
Relief Pitcher | Baltimore Orioles
Honolulu, Saint Louis School, Hawaiʻi Pacific University
Details: One-year $900,000 contract
24. Kansei Matsuzawa — $895,000
Placekicker | Las Vegas Raiders
University of Hawaiʻi
Details: Three-year $3.11 million contract (2026-2028), including a $10,000 signing bonus
25. Uso Seumalo — $895,000
Nose Tackle | Seattle Seahawks
Kaunakakai, Molokāʻi High
Details: Three-year $3.11 million contract (2026-2028), including a $10,000 signing bonus
26. Kaʻena DeCambra — $890,000
Center | Arizona Cardinals
Waiʻanae, Saint Louis School, University of Hawaiʻi
Details: Three-year $3.105 million contract (2026-2028), including a $5,000 signing bonus
27. Peter Manuma — $885,000
Safety | New England Patriots
ʻEwa Beach, Campbell High, University of Hawaiʻi
Details: Three-year $3.1 million contract (2026-2028)
28. Kohl Levao — $885,000
Guard | New York Jets
University of Hawaiʻi
Details: Three-year $2.965 million contract (2025-2027)
29. Treven Maʻae — $885,000
Defensive Tackle | Las Vegas Raiders
Kapolei
Details: One-year $885,000 contract
30. Jalen Walthall — $885,000
Wide Receiver | New York Jets
University of Hawaiʻi
Details: One-year $885,000 contract
31. Josh Rojas — $855,615
Shortstop | Kansas City Royals
University of Hawaiʻi
Details: One-year $855,615 contract
32. Ben Scott — $855,000
Center | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Honolulu, Saint Louis School
Details: Two-year $1.935 million contract (2026-2027)
33. Cade Smith — $824,600
Relief Pitcher | Cleveland Guardians
University of Hawaiʻi
Details: One-year $824,600 contract
34. Joey Cantillo — $796,600
Pitcher | Cleveland Guardians
Honolulu, Kailua High
Details: One-year $796,600 contract
United Football League
While the United Football League does not release individual player salaries, the minimum salary for the 2026 season is $64,000. Players are also eligible for performance bonuses and receive approximately $900 per week during training camp.
Here are UFL players with Hawaiʻi ties:
Dae Dae Hunter, Running Back | Dallas Renegades, University of Hawaiʻi
Kanaʻi Mauga, Linebacker | Orlando Storm, Waiʻanae, Waiʻanae High
Steven McBride, Wide Receiver | St. Louis Battlehawks, University of Hawaiʻi
Jordan Taʻamu, Quarterback | DC Defenders, Pearl City, Pearl City High
Individuals
UFC fighter Max Holloway has pocketed an estimated $7.15 million for his two fights so far this year. LPGA golfer Allisen Corpuz (Punahou School) has garnered $1.1 million in tournament earnings through the first half of 2026.
Higher and Higher: Tracking the Salaries of Hawaiʻi’s Best Paid Athletes Since 2013
Here are a few observations on the evolution of professional sports salaries since 2013, when we started this annual ranking of Hawaiʻi’s professional athletes.
Football Is Now King
Led by Shane Victorino, baseball players topped our salary rankings from 2013 to 2016. But that’s history.
In 2021, the NFL’s rising popularity saw the league secure media rights deals totaling more than $110 billion through 2033. As a result, the average NFL salary has doubled from $2 million in 2013 to $4 million in 2026. Similarly, the league’s salary cap has soared from $123 million per team in 2013 to over $301 million in 2026.
Joe Montana, considered one of the greatest quarterbacks in history, made about $25.5 million over his 16 NFL seasons. Adjusted for inflation, that translates to about $53 million today. Tua Tagovailoa is pocketing $54 million in 2026 alone.
More Than a Passing Fancy
It pays to be a quarterback. Starting NFL QBs average more than $30.1 million in salary per year. That’s more than double the starters at the next highest-paid positions, edge rushers and wide receivers, who average about $13.5 million annually.
Crusaders March On
From Brandon League and Tyson Alualu to Marcus Mariota and Nick Herbig, at least one Saint Louis School graduate has made our list every year. Other local high school sports powerhouses, like Punahou and Kahuku, have had many athletes on the annual lists, but not on every year’s list.
Good Neighbors
Two athletes from the Neighbor Islands, Maui’s Victorino and Island of Hawaiʻi’s Max Unger, have each topped an annual list. But most of the best-paid stars have Oʻahu connections.
Inflation
Victorino’s list-leading $13 million salary in 2013, when adjusted for inflation, comes out to $18.7 million in 2026. Three players on this year’s list will make more than that this year.
Annual Salary Leaders
2013: Shane Victorino, $13,000,000 — Outfielder | Boston Red Sox, Wailuku, St. Anthony School
2014: Shane Victorino, $13,000,000
2015: Shane Victorino, $13,000,000
2016: David Amerson, $8,500,000 — Cornerback | Oakland Raiders, Honolulu (grew up in North Carolina)
2017: Scott Feldman, $8,000,000 — Pitcher | Houston Astros, Kailua (grew up in California)
2018: Max Unger, $8,000,000 — Center | New Orleans Saints, Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy
2019: Marcus Mariota, $20,922,000
2020: Tua Tagovailoa, $20,250,979
2021: Tua Tagovailoa, $23,171,000
2022: DeForest Buckner, $17,000,000
2023: DeForest Buckner, $16,000,000
2024: DeForest Buckner, $17,250,000
2025: Tua Tagovailoa, $50,296,000
Here’s Why All the Bonuses
Why do NFL teams give players bonuses, for signing, for making the roster, for working out in the offseason, instead of simply paying that extra money in salaries? After all, it can be confusing when a player signs a four-year $80 million contract and then has five or six different kinds of payments. The reason: Under the NFL’s salary cap and contract rules, bonuses and salaries serve different purposes. Here’s an explanation:
01. Signing Bonuses Spread Out the Salary Cap Hit
This is the biggest reason. Suppose a player’s contract provides a $20 million signing bonus and a salary of $5 million a year for four years. The player usually gets the entire $20 million bonus almost immediately after signing.
But for salary-cap calculations, the bonus is divided evenly over the four years of the contract, with $5 million charged against the team’s salary cap each year instead of all at once. That helps teams fit their most expensive players under each year’s salary cap.
The player is happy to get the money up front and that’s why their agents push for larger signing bonuses.
02. Roster Bonuses Force Decisions
A roster bonus is paid if the player is on the roster by a certain date. For instance, when an $8 million roster bonus is due to a player on the fifth day of the league year, that player’s team has three options: keep the player and pay him; try to renegotiate the contract; or release him before the bonus is due. Roster bonuses create natural decision points every offseason.
03. Workout Bonuses Encourage Participation
A workout bonus rewards players for attending voluntary offseason workouts. A team might pay a $500,000 bonus if a player participates in at least 90% of workouts.
The money isn’t huge for star players, but it gives other players a financial incentive to be around coaches, learn new schemes and build chemistry with teammates.
04. Salaries Can Be Easier to Stop
If a player is cut, nonguaranteed salaries do not need to be paid; this often happens to players who have little leverage when they negotiate their contracts.
But the most sought-after players often get contracts with guaranteed salaries that must be paid even if they’re released by their teams.
05. Bonuses Help Structure Negotiations
Imagine two contracts that both total $100 million.
Contract A: $20 million signing bonus, $20 million guaranteed salary, $60 million nonguaranteed salary.
Contract B: $50 million signing bonus, $50 million guaranteed salary.
They’re both worth $100 million on paper, but Contract B gives the player much more money that’s effectively locked in. That’s why sports reporters usually focus on guaranteed money, not total contract value.
06. Incentive Bonuses Reward Performance
Teams also include bonuses for things like being a Pro Bowl selection, rushing for 1,000 or more yards, recording 10 sacks, playoff appearances, and winning league awards. These allow players to earn more if they meet high expectations while protecting the team if they don’t. These incentive bonuses are not included in this annual ranking of sports salaries.
Good players who have an off year or two or are injured before signing their new contracts are often offered incentive bonuses. Those bonuses are paid if they perform as well as or better than they did in the past.
