Advertiser Disclosure

How Much Do These 30 Star Athletes Pay in Taxes?

February 22, 2023

6 min Read

Written by Andrew Lisa

Edited by Katie Wudel

Commitment to Our Readers

GOBankingRates' editorial team is committed to bringing you unbiased reviews and information. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and services - our reviews and ratings are not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and our products and services review methodology.

20 YearsHelping You Live Richer

Reviewed by Experts

Trusted by Millions of Readers

It’s easy to envy sports stars and their giant salaries, but come tax time, professional athletes pony up a big portion of their paychecks to help keep their local, state and federal governments up and running. In fact, the highest-taxed athletes in sports forfeit half their income or more to their civic duty of paying the government. And in some states with higher tax rates, the payroll deductions for taxes can be hefty.

To find out which athletes have the highest tax bills, GOBankingRates used salary data from Spotrac to identify the MLB, NFL and NBA players with the highest salaries, then used its own internal tax calculators to assess the rates and dollar amounts that those athletes paid in state and federal taxes.

Note that NBA stars Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, who appear on this list, recently were traded. Their tax information reflects their tax bills in the states where their teams were based when they started the season last fall.

Corey Seager

Team: Texas Rangers
League: MLB
Salary: $35,500,000
Federal taxes paid: $13,090,208
State taxes paid: $0
FICA taxes paid: $841,564
Take-home salary (after taxes): $21,568,228
Total taxes paid: $13,931,772
Effective tax rate: 39.24%

Ryan Tannehill

Team: Tennessee Titans
League: NFL
Salary: $38,600,000
Federal taxes paid: $14,237,208
State taxes paid: $0
FICA taxes paid: $914,414
Take-home salary (after taxes): $23,448,378
Total taxes paid: $15,151,622
Effective tax rate: 39.25%

T.J. Watt

Team: Pittsburgh Steelers
League: NFL
Salary: $24,368,694
Federal taxes paid: $8,971,624
State taxes paid: $748,119
FICA taxes paid: $579,975
Take-home salary (after taxes): $14,068,973
Total taxes paid: $10,299,771
Effective tax rate: 42.27%

Jared Goff

Team: Detroit Lions
League: NFL
Salary: $31,150,000
Federal taxes paid: $11,480,708
State taxes paid: $1,323,875
FICA taxes paid: $739,339
Take-home salary (after taxes): $17,606,078
Total taxes paid: $13,543,922
Effective tax rate: 43.48%

Chris Jones

Team: Kansas City Chiefs
League: NFL
Salary: $29,415,667
Federal taxes paid: $10,839,004
State taxes paid: $1,558,158
FICA taxes paid: $698,582
Take-home salary (after taxes): $16,319,923
Total taxes paid: $13,095,744
Effective tax rate: 44.52%

Today’s Top Offers

Nolan Arenado

Team: St. Louis Cardinals
League: MLB
Salary: $35,000,000
Federal taxes paid: $12,905,208
State taxes paid: $1,854,128
FICA taxes paid: $829,814
Take-home salary (after taxes): $19,410,850
Total taxes paid: $15,589,150
Effective tax rate: 44.54%

Patrick Mahomes

Team: Kansas City Chiefs
League: NFL
Salary: $35,793,381
Federal taxes paid: $13,198,758
State taxes paid: $1,896,177
FICA taxes paid: $848,458
Take-home salary (after taxes): $19,849,988
Total taxes paid: $15,943,393
Effective tax rate: 44.54%

Carson Wentz

Team: Washington Commanders
League: NFL
Salary: $28,294,119
Federal taxes paid: $10,424,032
State taxes paid: $1,626,396
FICA taxes paid: $672,226
Take-home salary (after taxes): $15,571,465
Total taxes paid: $12,722,654
Effective tax rate: 44.97%

Aaron Rodgers

Team: Green Bay Packers
League: NFL
Salary: $28,533,569
Federal taxes paid: $10,512,628
State taxes paid: $2,175,006
FICA taxes paid: $677,853
Take-home salary (after taxes): $15,168,082
Total taxes paid: $13,365,487
Effective tax rate: 46.84%

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Team: Milwaukee Bucks
League: NBA
Salary: $42,492,492
Federal taxes paid: $15,677,430
State taxes paid: $3,242,864
FICA taxes paid: $1,005,888
Take-home salary (after taxes): $22,566,310
Total taxes paid: $19,926,182
Effective tax rate: 46.89%

Damian Lillard

Team: Portland Trail Blazers
League: NBA
Salary: $42,492,492
Federal taxes paid: $15,677,430
State taxes paid: $4,204,823
FICA taxes paid: $1,005,888
Take-home salary (after taxes): $21,604,351
Total taxes paid: $20,888,141
Effective tax rate: 49.16%

Francisco Lindor

Team: New York Mets
League: MLB
Salary: $34,100,000
Federal taxes paid: $12,572,208
State taxes paid: $3,501,528
FICA taxes paid: $808,664
Take-home salary (after taxes): $17,217,600
Total taxes paid: $16,882,400
Effective tax rate: 49.51%

Gerrit Cole

Team: New York Yankees
League: MLB
Salary: $36,000,000
Federal taxes paid: $13,275,208
State taxes paid: $3,708,628
FICA taxes paid: $853,314
Take-home salary (after taxes): $18,162,850
Total taxes paid: $17,837,150
Effective tax rate: 49.55%

Aaron Judge

Team: New York Yankees
League: MLB
Salary: $40,000,000
Federal taxes paid: $14,755,208
State taxes paid: $4,144,628
FICA taxes paid: $947,314
Take-home salary (after taxes): $20,152,850
Total taxes paid: $19,847,150
Effective tax rate: 49.62%

Justin Verlander

Team: New York Mets
League: MLB
Salary: $43,333,333
Federal taxes paid: $15,988,541
State taxes paid: $4,507,961
FICA taxes paid: $1,025,647
Take-home salary (after taxes): $21,811,184
Total taxes paid: $21,522,149
Effective tax rate: 49.67%

Today’s Top Offers

Max Scherzer

Team: New York Mets
League: MLB
Salary: $43,333,333
Federal taxes paid: $15,988,541
State taxes paid: $4,507,961
FICA taxes paid: $1,025,647
Take-home salary (after taxes): $21,811,184
Total taxes paid: $21,522,149
Effective tax rate: 49.67%

Kevin Durant

Team: Brooklyn Nets
League: NBA
Salary: $44,124,845
Federal taxes paid: $16,281,400
State taxes paid: $4,594,236
FICA taxes paid: $1,044,248
Take-home salary (after taxes): $22,204,961
Total taxes paid: $21,919,884
Effective tax rate: 49.68%

Stephen Strasburg

Team: Washington Nationals
League: MLB
Salary: $35,000,000
Federal taxes paid: $12,905,208
State taxes paid: $3,745,176
FICA taxes paid: $829,814
Take-home salary (after taxes): $17,519,802
Total taxes paid: $17,480,198
Effective tax rate: 49.94%

Bradley Beal

Team: Washington Wizards
League: NBA
Salary: $43,279,250
Federal taxes paid: $15,968,530
State taxes paid: $4,635,195
FICA taxes paid: $1,024,376
Take-home salary (after taxes): $21,651,149
Total taxes paid: $21,628,101
Effective tax rate: 49.97%

Kirk Cousins

Team: Minnesota Vikings
League: NFL
Salary: $31,416,668
Federal taxes paid: $11,579,375
State taxes paid: $3,441,424
FICA taxes paid: $745,606
Take-home salary (after taxes): $15,650,263
Total taxes paid: $15,766,405
Effective tax rate: 50.18%

Aaron Donald

Team: Los Angeles Rams
League: NFL
Salary: $27,000,000
Federal taxes paid: $9,945,208
State taxes paid: $3,564,231
FICA taxes paid: $641,814
Take-home salary (after taxes): $12,848,747
Total taxes paid: $14,151,253
Effective tax rate: 52.41%

Joey Bosa

Team: Los Angeles Chargers
League: NFL
Salary: $28,250,000
Federal taxes paid: $10,407,708
State taxes paid: $3,730,481
FICA taxes paid: $671,189
Take-home salary (after taxes): $13,440,622
Total taxes paid: $14,809,378
Effective tax rate: 52.42%

Mike Trout

Team: Los Angeles Angels
League: MLB
Salary: $37,116,666
Federal taxes paid: $13,688,374
State taxes paid: $4,909,747
FICA taxes paid: $879,556
Take-home salary (after taxes): $17,638,989
Total taxes paid: $19,477,677
Effective tax rate: 52.48%

Anthony Rendon

Team: Los Angeles Angels
League: MLB
Salary: $38,571,428
Federal taxes paid: $14,226,636
State taxes paid: $5,103,231
FICA taxes paid: $913,743
Take-home salary (after taxes): $18,327,818
Total taxes paid: $20,243,610
Effective tax rate: 52.48%

Klay Thompson

Team: Golden State Warriors
League: NBA
Salary: $40,600,000
Federal taxes paid: $14,977,208
State taxes paid: $5,373,031
FICA taxes paid: $961,414
Take-home salary (after taxes): $19,288,347
Total taxes paid: $21,311,653
Effective tax rate: 52.49%

Today’s Top Offers

Paul George

Team: Los Angeles Clippers
League: NBA
Salary: $42,492,568
Federal taxes paid: $15,677,458
State taxes paid: $5,624,742
FICA taxes paid: $1,005,889
Take-home salary (after taxes): $20,184,479
Total taxes paid: $22,308,089
Effective tax rate: 52.50%

Kawhi Leonard

Team: Los Angeles Clippers
League: NBA
Salary: $42,492,492
Federal taxes paid: $15,677,430
State taxes paid: $5,624,732
FICA taxes paid: $1,005,888
Take-home salary (after taxes): $20,184,442
Total taxes paid: $22,308,050
Effective tax rate: 52.50%

LeBron James

Team: Los Angeles Lakers
League: NBA
Salary: $44,474,988
Federal taxes paid: $16,410,953
State taxes paid: $5,888,404
FICA taxes paid: $1,052,476
Take-home salary (after taxes): $21,123,155
Total taxes paid: $23,351,833
Effective tax rate: 52.51%

Russell Westbrook

Team: Los Angeles Lakers
League: NBA
Salary: $47,063,478
Federal taxes paid: $17,368,694
State taxes paid: $6,232,673
FICA taxes paid: $1,113,306
Take-home salary (after taxes): $22,348,805
Total taxes paid: $24,714,673
Effective tax rate: 52.51%

Stephen Curry

Team: Golden State Warriors
League: NBA
Salary: $48,070,014
Federal taxes paid: $17,741,113
State taxes paid: $6,366,543
FICA taxes paid: $1,136,959
Take-home salary (after taxes): $22,825,399
Total taxes paid: $25,244,615
Effective tax rate: 52.52%

More From GOBankingRates

_Methodology:_{For this piece GOBankingRates first sourced the top 10 highest paid players in the NFL, NBA, and MLB and sourced each player’s (1) current or upcoming seasons salary. With these 30 athletes isolated, GOBankingRates then used our in-house federal and state income tax calculators to find each athlete’s: (2) federal income taxes paid; (3) state income taxes paid; (4) FICA taxes paid; (5) income after taxes; (6) total income taxes paid; and (7) effective tax rate for each athlete. All income tax calculations were made assuming a single filer, filing their taxes in the state in which their team/employer is located. GOBankingRates used 2022 federal tax brackets and standard deductions and 2022 state tax brackets and standard deductions, all sourced from Tax Foundation. All data was collected and is up to date as of Feb. 7, 2023.}

Jami Farkas contributed to the reporting of this article.