Rex Grossman's NFL career earnings reflect the lower quarterback salary standards of the mid-2000s era. This analysis compares his compensation to contemporaries and modern backups.
Rex Grossman's Career Earnings Context
Grossman's notable contracts included:
- Rookie contract (2003-2006): $3.25M total ($800K avg/year)
- Bears extension (2007): $3.7M annually for two years
- Houston Texans contract (2010): One-year deal valued at $1.75M
- Career earnings totaled approximately $13M over 11 seasons
Contemporary Comparison (Mid-2000s)
- Eli Manning (2004-2010): $45M total ($6.4M avg/year)
- Tom Brady (2005 season): $8M base salary + incentives
- Carson Palmer (2005): $6.1M annual contract before extension
Inflation-Adjusted Modern Equivalents
Grossman's peak salary ($3.7M in 2007) equals approximately $5.4M today. Notable 2025 backup QB contracts illustrate market inflation:
- Mike Glennon (2017 backup): $18.5M guaranteed
- Andy Dalton (2023): $10M guaranteed with Panthers
- Taylor Heinicke (2023): $7M average with Falcons
Current Salary Benchmarks
2025 quarterback valuations demonstrate the dramatic growth:
- Top-10 QBs average $40M+ annually
- Mid-tier starters (e.g., Derek Carr) earn $30-37M/year
- Primary backups command $5-12M annually
Comparative Assessment
- Peak vs. Contemporaries: Grossman earned 42% of Manning's annual value during shared playing years
- Modern Backup Equivalent: His inflation-adjusted peak equals today's QB3-tier compensation
- Career Earnings Context: His $13M total equals approximately half of 2023's 88th-ranked NBA player salary
Key Takeaways
- Grossman's earnings reflected his inconsistent starter/backup career trajectory
- Salary disparity compared to modern backups ($5.4M vs. $10M+) highlights NFL's 200% revenue growth since 2006
- His compensation aligned with non-elite starters in the pre-2011 CBA environment
