Shedeur Sanders may have entered the NFL as a fifth-round draft pick, but his popularity off the field is already producing numbers rarely seen in professional football. According to newly released financial disclosures from the National Football League Players Association, and obtained by Front Office Sports, the Cleveland Browns quarterback earned a record-breaking $17.7 million in group licensing income during the 2025-26 season.
The figure is the largest single-season licensing payout ever reported for an NFL player. It surpasses the previous mark set by Tom Brady, who received $9.5 million during the 2021-22 season. Sanders' earnings were reported through his company, SS2Legendary, a nod to the quarterback's longtime personal brand.
Unlike endorsement agreements negotiated directly by athletes, group licensing revenue comes from products featuring multiple NFL players. That includes jerseys, trading cards, video games, collectibles, and other officially licensed merchandise. The NFLPA figures also account for certain marketing appearances and promotional opportunities tied to union licensing programs.
While his rookie contract with the Cleveland Browns carried a relatively modest salary compared to top draft picks, Sanders’ visibility helped generate enormous demand for licensed products. The licensing total does not include separate endorsement deals Sanders has signed with major brands such as Gatorade, Beats by Dre, Delta Air Lines, and Ralph Lauren, meaning his overall off-field earnings were likely significantly higher.
Sanders' rise to the top of the licensing rankings came during a whirlwind first NFL season. After sliding to the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft despite entering the process as one of the most talked-about prospects in football, he spent part of the year working his way up Cleveland's depth chart.
He eventually started seven games, finishing with 1,400 passing yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions while helping the Browns close the season with key divisional wins.
His profile has only continued to grow since then. Sanders was later named a Pro Bowl replacement, returned to his signature No. 2 jersey, graduated from the University of Colorado with a sociology degree, and recently praised new Browns head coach Todd Monken for bringing a "new vibe" to the organization.
