Packers QB signs $135M extension, makes more than NC teachers

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WTVD) -- It's no secret that professional athletes make big money, but the latest extension signed by Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers has jaws dropping.

On Wednesday, general manager Brian Gutekunst announced Rodgers signed an extension with the team for a whopping $134 million.

But if that isn't enough, the whole package could be worth up to $180 million, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

That hefty contract has kept Rodgers as the highest-paid player in the NFL (we know, crazy, right).

The player closest to the quarterback is former Broncos QB Peyton Manning, raking in almost $250 million, followed by his brother, Giants QB Eli Manning, at $219 million.

This week, Odell Beckham Jr. also signed a 5-year high-paid contract with the New York Giants for $95 million.

Many speculate that even though games take a toll on an athlete's body and their attention is constantly needed in the media, they're being paid too much.

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The Bleacher Reports' Mihir Bhagat states that players are being paid way more than those with careers that have a direct impact on our society and the world like teachers, doctors, and firefighters.

According to ABC11's newsgathering partner The News & Observer, most teachers in North Carolina are making less than $52,000 a year.

While doctors in the state make under $200,000.

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Schefter said Rodger's extension includes nearly $103 million total in guarantees, another record amount, and has an annual average value of $33.5 million.

ESPN reports the total maximum value of the deal is between $176 million and $180 million, based on $4 million in incentives tied to helping the Packers make the playoffs and finishing top three in quarterback rating, the source told Schefter.

Rodgers, who will be 40 years old when the deal expires after the 2023 season, praised his team on Instagram for an "amazing ride" late Wednesday afternoon.

"It's been an amazing ride the last 13 years; excited to start year 14 knowing that my future is here, in Green Bay, for our 100th season," the post read in part.