Sam Darnold Received $178K Bonus, Still Lost Money In Super Bowl Due To Cali's 'Jock Tax'

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Pro Football Network - On Sunday night, the Seattle Seahawks dominated the New England Patriots, winning 29-13 to capture Super Bowl 60.

Sam Darnold has been an excellent addition to the Seahawks’ offense and was one of the key reasons for the team’s success this season. However, despite winning the biggest game of the year, Darnold is set to lose $249,000. Here’s why.

Darnold is set to lose $249,000 due to California taxes. As part of winning the Super Bowl, every player on the championship team receives a $178,000 bonus, along with the Lombardi Trophy.

However, Alex Worth of talkSPORT noted that the bonus is not as straightforward as it seems. Players are taxed on the payout, and at a significant rate:

“The bonus is classed as ‘regular income’, meaning that federal tax will be paid on it. It is projected that they will take home between $89,384 and $109,248, meaning each player is likely to lose $67,616 in tax, but Darnold is a different story. The Super Bowl-winning QB is a California resident, meaning he is set to pay a staggering $249,000 in income tax. It is an astonishing $71,000 net loss for helping Seattle win their second Super Bowl in franchise history.”

A $71,000 loss is a small price to pay for winning a Super Bowl. Beyond the championship itself, the victory could boost Darnold’s value through endorsements and potentially lead to a contract extension, as he still has two years remaining on the three-year, $100,500,000 deal he signed last offseason.

Additionally, Darnold earned a $2,500,000 incentive in his contract for winning the Super Bowl. As a result, the California tax hit will have little overall impact on his total earnings from the game.

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