Best Paid Footballers?

[Leo Fender]

I read my newspaper the other morning and found a list of the athletes who earned most money in 2007. It looked like this:

1. Tiger Woods
2. Oscar De La Hoya
3. Phik Mickelson
4. Kimi Räikkönen
5. David Beckham
6. Kobe Bryant
7. Shaqillu O'Neal
8. Ronaldinho
9. Valentino Rossi
10. Alex Rodriguez
11. Roger Federer
12. Derek Jeter
13. LeBron James
14. Floyd Mayweahter
15. Yao Ming
16. Vijay Singh
17. Leonard Davis
18. Jeff Gordon
19. Kevin Garnett
20. Reggie Bush
21. Alan Iversen
22. Maria Sharapova

Not surprised to find a few footballers on the list, but Davis and Bush? Really??

[Matt McGuire]

I think Gaines Adams was the 4th highest paid NFL player this year with like 15.3M lolz

[NoNonsenseCoach]

Interesting. No surprise to see Tiger at the top, but David Beckham I figured would be a close number 2.

Do they factor in endorsements? I know Peyton makes over 10M and had another 10M roster bonus this year, and we all know he has commercials out the wazoo so I'm real surprised to not see him on there.

I'm stunned to see Leonard Davis. I remember his contract was 50M over 7 years (I think) and he's that high? Most contracts are structured so the bulk of the money is made in the last years, and this is Davis' first year under contract and Mannings 4th. Offensive lineman aren't real marketable so I don't see how he's ahead of Manning who is on a 100M 9-year contract. So whether endorsements are used or not it's a big big shock to me...

[Matt McGuire]

Probably just salaries...it if was based off of endorsements the list would be flooded with soccer players.

[NoNonsenseCoach]

If it's just salary how is Tiger number one? I thought all his big money was from endorsements?

That Leonard Davis at #17 is the guard for the Cowboys right? If so, there's no way he can be that high. Manning and Vick (although I guess Vick doesn't count anymore) have way bigger contracts.

[Adam Mac]

The sports themselves aren't where they make their money. Even though its big paydays to normal people thats peanuts to the amount you get from endorsements. You just need to be a hig profile flashy player and cant make a lot more than a great fundamently sound performer

[Leo Fender]

My paper also had the decency to write where they got the list. Here: http://www.forbes.com/sportsbusiness...6athletes.html

It seems to include endorsements.

[NoNonsenseCoach]

I don't think their information is very accurate. No way Leonard Davis is on the list of Manning.