The Pittsburgh Steelers have built a reputation for retaining top-tier talent, and their 2025 roster reflects significant financial investments in key players. From dominant defensive stars like T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick to important offensive and veteran additions, the Steelers have ensured their top performers are well-compensated.
This article highlights the highest-paid Steelers players for the 2025 season based on base salary (not cap hit or bonuses), underlining their impact on the team and how their salaries reflect their roles. All salary information is sourced from Spotrac and team reports and player roster data was taken from the Steelers’ official website.
Here are the 8 highest-paid Pittsburgh Steelers players in 2025 (by base salary):
T.J. Watt: $21.05 million per year
Minkah Fitzpatrick: $15.5 million per year
Alex Highsmith: $13 million per year
Pat Freiermuth: $10.785 million per year
Patrick Queen: $7.16 million per year
Isaac Seumalo: $6.875 million per year
Jaylen Warren: $5.346 million per year
D.K. Metcalf: $5 million per year
Aaron Rodgers: $3.5 million per year
(Editor’s note: You may be wondering where Cameron Heyward is on this list. His contract extension in 2024 spread a great deal of his money into roster bonuses. Therefore, Heyward’s base salary is only $1.3 million in 2025 and 2026.)
1. T.J. Watt
T.J. Watt is a premier edge rusher for the Steelers and one of the NFL’s most feared defensive players. Drafted 30th overall in 2017, Watt quickly became a cornerstone of Pittsburgh’s defense with his relentless pass rush and playmaking ability.
In 2021 he had an epic season, tying the NFL single-season sack record with 22.5 sacks and earning the AP Defensive Player of the Year award.
A four-time Pro Bowler and three-time First-Team All-Pro, Watt has consistently ranked among the league leaders in sacks and forced fumbles. For bettors backing Watt to lead the league in sacks or take home another Defensive Player of the Year award, sportsbooks like Cobrabet will have a rich selection of player props to explore. His leadership and high motor on every snap set the tone for the Steelers’ defense, and he is often considered the heart of Pittsburgh’s pass rush. Watt’s elite production and accolades justify his status as the Steelers’ highest-paid player in 2025 by base salary.
Salary and earnings: In 2025, T.J. Watt’s base salary is approximately $21.05 million, reflecting his value as one of the NFL’s top defenders. This equates to about $1.75 million per month in base pay.
2. Minkah Fitzpatrick
Minkah Fitzpatrick is an elite safety known for his ball-hawking skills and defensive versatility in the Steelers’ secondary. Originally drafted 11th overall by Miami in 2018, Fitzpatrick was traded to Pittsburgh in 2019 for a first-round pick, and he immediately became an impact player on the back end. He has a knack for being around the ball – whether breaking up passes or snagging interceptions – and his range and instincts make him a game-changer in coverage.
Fitzpatrick is a three-time First-Team All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowl selection (2019, 2020, 2022–2024), underlining his status as one of the league’s best safeties.
In Pittsburgh’s defense, he often quarterbacks the secondary, directing alignments and creating turnovers in critical moments. Fitzpatrick’s combination of playmaking and leadership has been pivotal for the Steelers, and the team rewarded him with a lucrative extension in 2022 to keep him through 2026.
Salary and earnings: Minkah Fitzpatrick’s base salary in 2025 is about $15.5 million (roughly $1.29 million per month), reflecting his All-Pro caliber impact in the secondary.
3. Alex Highsmith
Alex Highsmith, an outside linebacker, has developed into a key pass rusher for Pittsburgh opposite T.J. Watt. A third-round pick in 2020, Highsmith stepped into a starting role and steadily improved each season. He enjoyed a breakout in 2022 with 14.5 sacks (leading the team) and 5 forced fumbles, showcasing his ability to pressure quarterbacks and create turnovers. Highsmith’s high-energy play and edge-setting against the run make him a well-rounded defender for the Steelers.
In 2023, the Steelers demonstrated their confidence in Highsmith by signing him to a four-year, $68 million extension, keeping him under contract through 2027. While his sack total dipped in 2023 (7 sacks) as offenses focused more protection his way, Highsmith remained a disruptive presence and continued to generate quarterback pressures. His work ethic and progression have earned him recognition as one of the top young edge rushers in the league.
Salary and earnings: Alex Highsmith’s base salary for 2025 is $13 million, about $1.08 million per month. This significant pay reflects his status as a core piece of the Steelers’ pass rush and the hefty extension he signed to stay in Pittsburgh.
4. Pat Freiermuth
Pat Freiermuth is the Steelers’ starting tight end and a rising offensive star. Drafted in the second round in 2021 out of Penn State, Freiermuth quickly became a favorite target in Pittsburgh’s passing game due to his reliable hands, route-running savvy, and toughness in traffic.
He had an impressive rookie season with 60 receptions and 7 touchdowns, and followed it with a career-high 732 receiving yards in 2022, demonstrating his red-zone prowess and ability to exploit defenses down the seams.
Freiermuth’s blend of size (6’5″), catch radius, and competitiveness has drawn comparisons to the Steelers’ great tight ends of the past. In addition to his receiving skills, he’s a willing blocker, making him a well-rounded contributor to the offense. Ahead of the 2024 season, the Steelers rewarded Freiermuth with a four-year, $48.4 million extension, affirming their view of him as a centerpiece of the offense for years to come.
Salary and earnings: In 2025, Pat Freiermuth’s base salary is approximately $10.785 million (around $898,750 per month). This sizable pay day reflects his importance as one of the NFL’s promising young tight ends and a key weapon in Pittsburgh’s offense.
5. Patrick Queen
Patrick Queen is a linebacker who joined the Steelers as a high-profile free agent in 2024. A former first-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens in 2020, Queen brought championship-level pedigree and AFC North familiarity to Pittsburgh’s defense. He had a breakout 2023 season in Baltimore, compiling a career-high 133 tackles for a Ravens defense that led the NFL in fewest points allowed, and he earned second-team All-Pro honors and his first Pro Bowl selection for that performance.
Known for his sideline-to-sideline speed and sure tackling, Queen bolsters the Steelers’ inside linebacker unit with his ability to blitz, cover running backs, and stuff the run. Pittsburgh signed Queen to a three-year, $41 million deal, the richest free-agent contract in team history for a defensive player, underscoring expectations that he will be a defensive centerpiece. Still just 26 years old in 2025, Queen is in his prime and looking to translate his Baltimore success into a leadership role in Pittsburgh’s front seven.
Salary and earnings: Patrick Queen’s base salary for 2025 is $7.16 million (roughly $596,667 per month) as part of his multi-year contract. This pay level reflects his status as one of the Steelers’ top-paid defenders and the value the team places on his playmaking at linebacker.
6. Isaac Seumalo
Isaac Seumalo is a veteran offensive guard who has been a stabilizing force on the Steelers’ offensive line. Seumalo signed with Pittsburgh in 2023 after seven seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he was a reliable starter and won a Super Bowl with the Eagles in the 2017 season. With Philadelphia, Seumalo started 60 games and was known for his excellent run-blocking and improved pass protection – he allowed only one sack across 1,137 offensive snaps in 2022.
That consistency and championship experience made him a prized addition for the Steelers to help protect their quarterbacks and pave the way in the ground game.
Seumalo can play multiple interior line positions, but he settled in as Pittsburgh’s left guard, bringing veteran leadership to the trenches. His presence has helped solidify an O-line that is tasked with both protecting the passer and rekindling the Steelers’ traditionally strong rushing attack.
Salary and earnings: Isaac Seumalo’s base salary in 2025 is about $6.875 million, equating to $572,917 per month. This salary stems from the three-year, $24 million contract he signed in 2023, placing him among the better-paid guards in the league and reflecting his value as a seasoned blocker and Super Bowl champion.
7. Jaylen Warren
Jaylen Warren is a running back who has rapidly risen from undrafted status to a key playmaker in Pittsburgh’s offense. Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2022, Warren initially served as a backup to former first-round pick Najee Harris, but he steadily earned a bigger role with his hard-running style and receiving ability out of the backfield.
At a compact 5’8” and 215 pounds, Warren runs with power and balance, often bouncing off tacklers for extra yards. He also developed into a reliable check-down target, even logging 61 receptions in the 2023 season as a third-down weapon.
After the 2024 season, the Steelers saw enough in Warren to envision him as a potential lead back – they allowed Najee Harris to depart in free agency, and Warren has “no doubt” he can shoulder a larger workload in 2025, focusing his offseason training on preparing for a feature role. The Steelers placed a second-round restricted free agent tender on Warren, keeping him for 2025 and signifying how integral he is to their plans. With his determination and all-purpose skill set, Warren is poised to be a breakout contributor in the Steelers’ backfield.
Salary and earnings: Jaylen Warren will earn $5.346 million in base salary for 2025 (about $445,500 per month), under the RFA tender. This actually gives him a higher 2025 base salary than his former teammate Najee Harris earned on his new team, and it reflects Pittsburgh’s confidence in Warren as an emerging lead running back.
8. D.K. Metcalf
Newly acquired in a trade before free agency began in March, Metcalf is a monster wide receiver who also signed a new monster deal with the Steelers.
He comes to Pittsburgh with multiple 1,000-plus receiving seasons. Though his numbers took a dip the last two years, that could mainly be contributed to the quarterback play of Geno Smith in Seattle, as Metcalf still walked away with better numbers than any other recent Steelers receivers (66 catches for 1,114 yards and 8 touchdowns in 2023, 66 catches for 992 yards and 5 touchdowns in 2024.)
Salary and earnings: D.K. Metcalf signed a 4-year, $132 million extension with the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason. With bonuses and guarantees he will earn an average annual salary of $33 million. However, in 2025, Metcalf will have a base salary of $5 million, as the team invested heavily into their new receiver and doubled-down by making sure he’s the top option in Pittsburgh’s offense by trading away George Pickens.
9. Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rodgers is a legendary quarterback who joined the Steelers for the 2025 season, bringing a Hall-of-Fame resume and veteran leadership to Pittsburgh. Rodgers is one of the most accomplished quarterbacks of his generation: he is a four-time NFL MVP (2011, 2014, 2020, 2021) and a Super Bowl champion (Super Bowl XLV, in which he was MVP).
Over 18 seasons with the Green Bay Packers (and a short stint with the Jets), Rodgers earned 10 Pro Bowl selections and was named First-Team All-Pro four times.
Renowned for his exceptional arm talent, football IQ, and clutch performances, Rodgers has thrown for over 59,000 yards and nearly 500 touchdowns in his career. By 2025, at age 41, he brings a wealth of experience to the Steelers. Pittsburgh signed him to a one-year deal to mentor their young quarterbacks and potentially provide high-level play if called upon.
Even in the twilight of his career, Rodgers’ presence is a major asset – he offers the Steelers leadership in the locker room and a proven winner’s mentality. Canadian fans are curious about how Rodgers will perform in black and gold, sportsbooks were also quick to react to such news, with Batery Betting being among the first ones to reflect this in their odds.
Salary and earnings: Aaron Rodgers’ contract with Pittsburgh is a short-term deal that includes a $3.5 million base salary for 2025 (approximately $291,667 per month). Most of his contract value was given in a signing bonus and incentives, but his base pay still places him among the team’s top earners. This relatively modest base (by Rodgers’ standards) reflects a team-friendly deal, as Rodgers made it clear he’s chasing another Super Bowl and willing to take a lower salary for the opportunity.
Backing the best for Pittsburgh’s Success
As the Steelers set their sights on returning to championship contention, their financial commitment to these players shows a clear strategy: invest in elite talent to lead the way. Each of these high-paid players is expected to play a crucial role in the team’s performance in 2025. On defense, Pittsburgh is paying premier dollars to maintain a dominant unit led by stars like Watt and Fitzpatrick, keeping the Steelers’ traditional defensive identity strong.
On offense, the team has allocated resources to key positions – from a veteran quarterback presence in Rodgers to a young playmaker like Warren – to balance the squad. The front office’s willingness to reward proven performers (with extensions for players like Highsmith and Freiermuth) and bring in accomplished veterans (like Queen and Rodgers) underlines a commitment to staying competitive in the NFL.
If these top-paid Steelers play up to their potential, Pittsburgh will be well-positioned for success in 2025 and beyond, with a roster built around a blend of homegrown stars and savvy additions to drive the team forward.