Tom Brady and LeBron James scored big when it came to their 2020-21 paychecks.
Forbes revealed its annual list of 10 highest-paid athletes on Wednesday, May 12, and both sports stars made the cut. Tom came in at No. 2 with annual earnings of $76 million. Though it may surprise fans he's low on the list, his $45 million didn't even make the top 10 last year.
It's just another victory for him in 2021. The quarterback kicked off the year with a Super Bowl win, marking his record-breaking seventh NFL championship win and first with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In March, he signed a four-year contract with the Bucs, in which he would be paid $50 million over the next two years, The Tampa Bay Times reported.
According to Forbes, the past year in earnings marked Brady's most lucrative, thanks to endorsement deals with eyewear maker Christopher Cloos and sports apparel company Fanatics, as well as fees from commercials and virtual speaking engagements.
As for other names you may recognize on the list? James placed fifth, having earned $96.5 million between May 2020 and this month, a record for NBA players. It should feel familiar to him as he also came in fifth place on last year's list with $88.2 in annual earnings.
Forbes reported that LeBron's financial success is expected to rise later this year with the release of Space Jam: A New Legacy on HBO Max, a new deal with PepsiCo, and a recently purchased stake in Fenway Sports Group, which owns the Boston Red Sox, Liverpool FC and Roush Fenway Racing.
As for who is No. 1? Well, you'll have to keep scrolling to find out.
$75 million
$76 million
$82 million
$90 million
$95 million
$96.5 million
$107.5 million
$120 million
$130 million
$180 million