The NFL’s cousins to the north, the CFL (Canadian Football League) have to play in the shadows of the sports behemoth both in talent and earnings. But the highest-paid CFL players of 2024 still do relatively well compared to the league average of $73,200.
Nathan Rourke is the highest-paid CFL player of 2024. He plays quarterback for the B.C. Lions and earns $600,000 yearly. Rourke’s popularity in Canada and his play when he was last with the Lions in 2022 justify the top salary.
He signed for the Lions in August after getting cut by the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons.
Chad Kelly comes in second, raking in $444,400 a year. He’s the nephew of Buffalo Bills legend Jim Kelly and won the 2023 Most Outstanding Player award for the CFL.
Third on the list is Zach Collaros of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He signed his deal for $433,500 with the Blue Bombers in 2022. Collaros posted career-highs in 2023 in passing yards and average yards per completion.
Bo Levi Mitchell holds the fourth spot on the highest-paid CFL players list. He earns a salary of $390,200 with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on a two-year deal.
Mitchell has won two Grey Cups while quarterback of the Calgary Stampeders.
The fifth highest-paid CFL player is another quarterback, Trevor Harris of the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Harris will earn $361,300 this year after signing a one-year extension.
Unsurprisingly, quarterbacks dominate the highest-paid CFL players list.
Considered one of the toughest positions to play in sports, nine quarterbacks are in the top 25 highest-paid players. This includes the top eight highest-earners.
Out of the top 25 highest-paid players in the CFL, 88% play on the offense. Only three players made the list from the defensive side of the ball, and none of those three play in the defensive backfield.
Defensive backs are the lowest-earning position. No players cracked the top 25, and none are earning over $200,000.
Ranking The Highest-Paid Canadian Football League Players
Here is the entire list of the top 25 highest-paid CFL players of 2024 by salary. The list was compiled using data from the CFL and 3downnation.
- Updated: November 6, 2024
| Rank | Player | Position | Team | Total Compensation |
| 1 | Nathan Rourke | Quarterback | B.C. Lions | $600K |
| 2 | Chad Kelly | Quarterback | Toronto Argonauts | $444.4K |
| 3 | Zach Collaros | Quarterback | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | $433.5K |
| 4 | Bo Levi Mitchell | Quarterback | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | $390.2K |
| 5 | Trevor Harris | Quarterback | Saskatchewan Roughriders | $361.3K |
| 6 | Jeremiah Masoli | Quarterback | Ottawa Redblacks | $312.9K |
| 7 | Cody Fajardo | Quarterback | Montreal Alouettes | $307.1K |
| 8 | Vernon Adams Jr | Quarterback | B.C. Lions | $285.4K |
| 9 | Eugene Lewis | Wide Receiver | Edmonton Elks | $231.2K |
| 10 | Dru Brown | Quarterback | Ottawa Redblacks | $206.7K |
| 11 | Kenny Lawler | Wide Receiver | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | $205.9K |
| 12 | Drew Desjarlais | Offensive Lineman | Ottawa Redblacks | $187.9K |
| 13 | Folarin Orimolade | Defensive Lineman | Toronto Argonauts | $180.6K |
| 14 | Mark Korte | Offensive Lineman | Edmonton Elks | $177K |
| 15 | Brady Oliveira | Running Back | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | $173.4K |
| 16 | Jermarcus Hardrick | Offensive Lineman | Saskatchewan Roughriders | $166.5K |
| 17 | Dalton Schoen | Wide Receiver | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | $166.2K |
| 18 | Nic Demski | Wide Receiver | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | $162.6K |
| 19 | Alexander Hollins | Wide Receiver | B.C. Lions | $161.1K |
| T-20 | Tim White | Wide Receiver | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | $151.7K |
| T-20 | Kurleigh Gittens Jr | Wide Receiver | Edmonton Elks | $151.7K |
| T-20 | Jake Ceresna | Defensive Lineman | Toronto Argonauts | $151.7K |
| 23 | Ryan Hunter | Offensive Lineman | Toronto Argonauts | $151K |
| 24 | Wynton McManis | Linebacker | Toronto Argonauts | $150.3K |
| 25 | Brandon Revenberg | Offensive Lineman | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | $148.1K |
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