San Francisco 49ers defensive end Arik Armstead gave fans some unique insight into one aspect of being an NFL player — his per-game salary, and the taxes that come with it.
The Niners lineman shared a photo of one of his pay checks from March. His earnings totaled $393,055.55 before taxes.
The reason the photo went viral is due to the fact that almost half of the total amount — $194,085.25 to be exact — went to taxes.
49ers defensive end Arik Armstead shares a game check.
He makes $393,055 a game.
49.3% comes out in taxes. pic.twitter.com/y3X7MBTpEU
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) November 3, 2023
Yes, about 49 percent of his pay check was withheld for taxes.
It’s no surprise that Armstead gets heavily taxed since he’s bracketed among the highest earners and he plays in the state of California. The huge tax figure is also a glaring reminder of the advantage teams from states like Texas and Florida have given the absence of state income tax.
But the 49ers veteran didn’t share the picture to complain.
The snapshot just recently went viral, but it comes from a video Armstead posted in September breaking down his NFL game check. The Oregon alum shared a 4-part series breaking down different parts of his game check for “motivational and educational purposes.”
Armstead signed a 5-year, $85 million contract with the 49ers before the 2020 season. San Francisco drafted him in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He is currently the longest-tenured player on the Niners’ roster.
