The Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys were just the 19th-highest paid team in the NFL last season, while the Indianapolis Colts were No. 1, according to an NFL Players Association survey obtained by The Associated Press.
Dallas, which routed Buffalo 52-17 in the Super Bowl on Jan. 31, averaged $466,980 per player, according to the survey, which is dated Dec. 11. The Bills were sixth at $564,355.Indianapolis (9-7), which missed the playoffs, had an average salary of $674,405 per player. The Colts were followed by the Miami Dolphins at $627,140 and the San Francisco 49ers at $613,420.
At the opposite end, the Pittsburgh Steelers were last at $358,625, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were next-to-last at $379,660. The Steelers won the AFC Central and lost in the divisional playoffs to the Bills.
The average salary increased 19.6 percent last season to $496,345, the survey said. The figure is double the $239,100 average in 1988, according to players' association figures. In comparison, the average salary in major league baseball was $1,028,667 last season. The average NBA salary is about $1.2 million this season.
Starters averaged $659,410, up 19.1 percent from $553,600 in 1991. There were 125 players making $1 million or more, including signing bonuses, roster bonuses and reporting bonuses. Of those, 27 made $2 million or more, including five making $4 million or more.
Steve Emtman of the Indianapolis Colts, a rookie defensive lineman, was the highest-paid player at $5,165,000 because of the inclusion of a signing bonus of $4,165,000. His four-year contract is worth a total of $9,165,000, an average of $2,291,250.
Linebacker Quentin Coryatt of the Colts, another rookie, was second at $4,980,000, because of a $4,055,000 signing bonus. He will average $2,189,000 over a four-year deal worth $8,655,000.
Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino was third at $4.2 million. Cincinnati Bengals quarterback David Klingler and Houston Oilers quarterback Warren Moon were tied for fourth at $4 million. Klingler's figure includes a $3 million signing bonus.
Green Bay Packers defensive back Terrell Buckley was the highest-paid NFC player at sixth overall. His salary of $3,875,000 includes a $3.2 million signing bonus.
Using just starting players, Miami had the highest average at $983,200, followed by Indianapolis at $965,415.