Josh Allen lands atop Forbes list of highest-paid athletes

LARAMIE -- Josh Allen just celebrated a birthday on May 21.

That means the Buffalo Bills fifth-year quarterback just beat the deadline for Forbes' highest-paid athletes age 25 and under. Allen cleared a reported $67 million in total earnings over a calendar year that ended on May 1.

That ranks the former Wyoming Cowboy gunslinger No. 1 overall ahead of tennis star Naomi Osaka ($59.2 million), Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen ($48 million) and professional soccer standout Kylian Mbappe ($43 million).

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The next NFL player to enter this list comes in at No. 5. That's New Orleans cornerback Marshon Lattimore who raked in $40.9 million last year after inking a $97.6 million contract extension in September.

Phoenix Suns shooting guard Devin Booker ranks sixth after pocketing $39.9 million and boxer Jake Paul rounds out the list, making $38 million.

Let's get back to Allen.

According to Forbes, the QB earned $63 million on the field last season. Allen did sign a $258 million extension last August that should keep him in Orchard Park for at least the next six seasons. That also came with an NFL record $150 million in guaranteed cash.

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Throw in a $16.5 million signing bonus and a $42.4 million option bonus, and you're talking about a nice little payday for the Firebaugh, Calif., product who spent three seasons in Laramie from 2015-17.

Allen has also capitalized on his popularity off the field. He endorses brands like Nike, Microsoft, FedEx and Pepsi, among others. That has netted him an added $4million, per Forbes.

Allen can definitely afford a Molson Canadian or two, but he isn't even the highest-earning signal caller in the league.

That honor belongs to Tom Brady, who reportedly made $83.9 million between May 1, 2021 and May 1, 2022. Tampa Bay's QB comes in at No. 9 on the list of the world's highest-paid athletes, compiled by Forbes.

Allen isn't ranked second, either.

Los Angeles' Matthew Stafford slides in at No. 13 after clearing $72.3 million. He also hoisted the Lombardi Trophy after spending the previous dozen seasons in football purgatory -- aka Detroit. You've seen the AT&T commercial.

Pretty solid year, huh?

There's still another guy who makes his living under center ahead of Allen. Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers (14th overall) scooped up $68 million.

Allen comes in at No. 16.