Zach Ertz, Saquon Barkley’s Big Sundays Net Big Incentives

Zach Ertz didn’t just clinch the Commanders’ first postseason berth since 2020 on Sunday night. He got himself a bonus while doing so. 

Ertz’s game-winning touchdown catch earned him a $250,000 bonus, his third of the game, adding up to $750,000 in contract incentives hit on Sunday. 

The 6-foot-5 tight end came into the game needing six touchdowns to hit a $250,000 bonus with his contract. He entered the game with four and caught two – both in the second half – to give him the mark. Ertz also had six catches for 72 yards, which triggered another $250,000 incentive. The catches put him over 60 receptions for the season, which got him a $250,000 bonus, and the 72 yards put him over 600 this season, unlocking another $250,000 incentive. 

His performance – and bonuses – came on his mother’s birthday, too. Not a bad present. 

Ertz wasn’t the only NFL player to hit some lucrative incentives on Sunday. 

Eagles star running back Saquon Barkley became just the ninth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards. The mark came with multiple contract implications for Barkley. By passing 2,000 yards rushing, Barkley netted a $250,000 contract bonus. He had previously earned a $250,000 bonus for hitting 1,500 yards rushing and receiving—combining for $500,000. That half-a-million in bonuses will be added to his 2025 base salary.

Barkley is set to earn $13.5 million in 2024, including base salary ($1,375,000) and signing bonus ($12.1 million)–with the potential to earn more.

Barkley’s contract comes with a $500,000 incentive for being voted first-team All-Pro, which he seems likely to attain. A second-team All-Pro honor would net a $250,000 bonus. Similar to the yardage bonuses, either bonus would be added to his 2025 base salary as an escalator, meaning he could be looking at an additional $1 million. 

Barkley enters next Sunday’s regular season finale needing just 101 rushing yards to eclipse Eric Dickerson’s NFL record of 2,105 yards, which has stood since 1984. Barkley has bonuses tied to his postseason performance too: he’ll earn $250,000 if the Eagles win the NFC Championship game or Super Bowl, giving him plenty of reason to consider resting. 

Should he hit them, those bonuses will also be added to his 2025 base salary. 

Some other notable players are going for bonuses as the regular season wraps up. 

Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith needs 186 passing yards in the regular season finale to eclipse his career-high of 4,282 in a season, which would net him a $2 million bonus. He needs to do so while keeping his completion percentage at 69.75% or higher, which would give him another $2 million bonus. His completion percentage for the season is 70.2% with one game left to play. The Seahawks go into Sunday’s game at 9-7, and a win would earn Smith another $2 million bonus for either a 10-win season or a playoff berth.

Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins could earn $1 million in bonuses with a strong end to the regular season. Hopkins is nine catches short of a $250,000 bonus for 65 receptions, 140 yards shy of a $250,000 incentive for 750 receiving yards, and one touchdown away from a $500,000 bonus for catching six this season.