The New England Patriots might have lost Super Bowl 52, but San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is once again a winner! Garoppolo, along with defensive end Cassius Marsh both took home a Super Bowl bonus for their time with the team earlier this year. They each earned $51,000 for the Patriots appearance in the AFC Championship Game, and $56,000 for the Super Bowl appearance. They would have each won $112,000 had the Patriots won the Super Bowl.
Back in January, we wrote about the potential for Garoppolo, Marsh, and Sheldon Day to each win some playoff bonus money (via former agent Joel Corry). NFL salaries are paid out based entirely on the regular season. In the playoffs, there is a separate pool of bonus money, with more money paid out the more games you win.
When a player spends part of a season on a team and then is traded, waived, or released, he can still claim money if his former team makes the playoffs. The rule is that a player earns money so long as he is not under contract to another team in the same conference. The 49ers claimed Day off waivers from the Jacksonville Jaguars, while they acquired Marsh off waivers and Garoppolo via trade from the Patriots.
Players are not eligible for wild card ($28,000) or divisional round ($28,000) bonuses. All three received $51,000 for the championship games appearances, and then Garoppolo and Marsh received $56,000 for the Super Bowl appearance. That means the latter two walked away from the playoffs with $107,000 before taxes. Not too bad for no days’ work!