Big game salaries, big ticket home prices

When Seattle and New England meet on the biggest football Sunday of the year, the stats won’t stop at yards and touchdowns. A Zillow analysis adds one more number to the mix: the home price that participants could afford.

A few figures stand out right away:

• The highest-paid player on the field is a New England offensive lineman who could comfortably afford a home priced around $47 million.
• As quarterback, Seattle’s starter could afford a home near $21 million, while New England’s starter could afford one closer to $3.8 million.
• And there’s a bonus in play, too: The $178,000 awarded to players on the winning team wouldn’t go too far in expensive Seattle or Boston, but could cover a 20% down payment on an $890,000 home.

Zillow® translated the base salaries of Seattle and New England players and coaches into the standard rule for housing affordability: spending no more than 30% of income on a monthly payment. Calculations assume a 20% down payment — which should be a piece of cake in many cases given the eye-popping signing bonuses on offer — and are based on the average national mortgage rate and estimates for taxes, insurance and maintenance.  

Quarterbacks

When people talk about the game, quarterbacks usually come up first. New England’s starter earns a base salary of $960,000, pointing to homes priced around $3.8 million, while Seattle’s starter earns $5.3 million, which puts homes near $21.4 million in that player’s range. Same position, very different price tags.

Upper-end salaries

The biggest salaries in the game push the housing math into a different gear. New England’s top earner, an offensive lineman making $12 million, can comfortably afford a home up to about $47.1 million. Seattle’s highest salary belongs to a cornerback making $5.35 million, enough to afford the mortgage payment on homes near $21.6 million.

Lower-end salaries

Near the lower end of the roster, the housing math still reaches into the millions. In New England, a cornerback earning $840,000 could afford homes around $3.3 million, while in Seattle, a defensive tackle earning just under $600,000 could afford homes near $2.3 million. In housing terms, “lower end” is doing a lot of work.

Kickers

Kickers may not always lead the highlight reel, but they’re often central to how a game ends. In this matchup, New England’s kicker earns $840,000, lining up with homes around $3.3 million, while Seattle’s kicker earns $4.95 million, putting his housing budget near $20 million. Same job, very different price tags.

Coaches

The big numbers aren’t limited to the field. New England’s head coach earns $14 million, which translates to being able to afford homes around $55 million, while Seattle’s head coach earns $9 million, pointing to homes near $36.3 million. Calling the shots has its perks.

From game day to home search

For buyers curious about what they could afford, Zillow Home Loans’ BuyAbility^SM tool offers a personalized, real-time estimate of the home price and monthly payment that fits their budget — no football contract required.