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.
Zach Collaros is the highest-paid CFL player of 2024. Playing at quarterback for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Collaros earns $600,000 yearly. He’s earned the top salary spot after posting career-highs in 2023 in passing yards and average yards per completion.
Collaros signed his deal with the Blue Bombers in 2022. He had just won back-to-back Most Outstanding Player awards.
Chad Kelly comes in second, raking in just under $600,000 a year. Kelly makes $583,000 per year for the Toronto Argonauts as their quarterback. He’s the nephew of Buffalo Bills legend Jim Kelly. He won the 2023 Most Outstanding Player award for the CFL.
Third on the list is quarterback Trevor Harris. Playing for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Harris’ contract guarantees him $473,000 for the year. At 38 years old, he is the oldest player on the list.
McLeod Bethel-Thompson holds the fourth spot on the highest-paid CFL players list. His salary of $461,000 with the Edmonton Elks includes a $150,000 signing bonus.
Bethel-Thompson spent his last season as the quarterback of the now-disbanded New Orleans Breakers in the United States Football League (USFL).
The fifth highest-paid CFL player is another quarterback, Cody Fajardo of the Montreal Alouettes. Fajardo will earn $432,000 this year after signing a one-year extension. He can earn an additional $18,000 if he plays at least 51% of the snaps.
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 seven 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: May 20, 2024
| Rank | Player | Position | Team | Organization | Total Compensation |
| 1 | Zach Collaros | Quarterback | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | CFL | $600K |
| 2 | Chad Kelly | Quarterback | Toronto Argonauts | CFL | $583K |
| 3 | Trevor Harris | Quarterback | Saskatchewan Roughriders | CFL | $473K |
| 4 | McLeod Bethel-Thompson | Quarterback | Edmonton Elks | CFL | $461K |
| 5 | Cody Fajardo | Quarterback | Montreal Alouettes | CFL | $432K |
| 6 | Vernon Adams Jr | Quarterback | B.C. Lions | CFL | $403K |
| 7 | Jake Maier | Quarterback | Calgary Stampeders | CFL | $339K |
| 8 | Eugene Lewis | Wide Receiver | Edmonton Elks | CFL | $320K |
| 9 | Dru Brown | Quarterback | Ottawa Redblacks | CFL | $286K |
| 10 | Kenny Lawler | Wide Receiver | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | CFL | $285K |
| 11 | Drew Desjarlais | Offensive Lineman | Ottawa Redblacks | CFL | $260K |
| 12 | Mark Korte | Offensive Lineman | Edmonton Elks | CFL | $245K |
| 13 | Folarin Orimolade | Defensive Lineman | Toronto Argonauts | CFL | $240K |
| 14 | Jermarcus Hardrick | Offensive Lineman | Saskatchewan Roughriders | CFL | $230K |
| 15 | Dalton Schoen | Wide Receiver | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | CFL | $230K |
| 16 | Brady Oliveira | Running Back | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | CFL | $230K |
| 17 | Bo Levi Mitchell | Quarterback | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | CFL | $225K |
| 18 | Nic Demski | Wide Receiver | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | CFL | $225K |
| 19 | Alexander Hollins | Wide Receiver | B.C. Lions | CFL | $223K |
| 20 | Tim White | Wide Receiver | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | CFL | $210K |
| 21 | Kurleigh Gittens Jr | Wide Receiver | Edmonton Elks | CFL | $210K |
| 22 | Jake Ceresna | Defensive Lineman | Toronto Argonauts | CFL | $210K |
| 23 | Ryan Hunter | Offensive Lineman | Toronto Argonauts | CFL | $209K |
| 24 | Wynton McManis | Linebacker | Toronto Argonauts | CFL | $208K |
| 25 | Brandon Revenberg | Offensive Lineman | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | CFL | $205K |
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