Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons

Where Drake London’s new deal ranks among highest-paid Atlanta sports stars

Falcons pass catcher will earn the highest annual salary in franchise history starting in 2027.
Falcons wide receiver Drake London, pictured here during a game in September, signed a four-year, $141 contract extension on Tuesday. (Miguel Martinez/AJC 2025)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez/AJC

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez/AJC

Falcons wide receiver Drake London, pictured here during a game in September, signed a four-year, $141 contract extension on Tuesday. (Miguel Martinez/AJC 2025)
By Fisher Isbell – Atlanta
June 3, 2026

The Falcons on Tuesday inked star wideout Drake London to a four-year, $141 million contract that will give him the highest annual salary in franchise history. Here’s how the deal compares to other high-dollar Atlanta sports salaries, according to Spotrac.

1. Kirk Cousins, Falcons: $45 million, 2025 season

The Falcons splashed the cash on Cousins in free agency in March 2024, dishing out a four-year, $180 million deal that included $90 million in guaranteed money. Despite the significant investment, Cousins’ tenure in Atlanta failed to pan out, with the team releasing him on March 11.

2. Trae Young, Hawks: $43 million, 2025-26 season

The four-time All-Star was traded by the Hawks on Jan. 9 to the Washington Wizards after spending his first seven full seasons in Atlanta. He signed a five-year, $215.15 million rookie max extension ahead of the 2022-23 season.

ExploreEnd of an era: Hawks agree to trade Trae Young to Wizards

3. Drake London, Falcons: $35.25 million, 2027 season

London’s new deal makes him the third-highest paid wide receiver in the NFL and will go into effect next season. He will play the 2026 season on his fully guaranteed, $16.82 million fifth-year option, which the Falcons exercised in April 2025.

ExploreFalcons are swinging big on Drake London, who’s wired to prove them right

4. CJ McCollum, Hawks: $32 million, 2025-26 season

One of the key pieces the Hawks acquired from the Wizards in January, McCollum played the 2025-26 season on the final year of a two-year, $63.99 million veteran extension. He will become an unrestricted free agent when the league year ends June 30.

5. Matt Ryan, Falcons: $30 million, 2019 season

Ryan was rewarded with a five-year, $150 million payday that reset the quarterback market ahead of the 2018 season, just two years after he won NFL MVP. The deal made him the first NFL player to average at least $30 million per year.

ExploreHawks’ Jalen Johnson earns All-NBA honors after career-best season

The next-highest annual salaries are:

About the Author

Fisher Isbell joined the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in May 2026 as a sports summer intern, covering various professional and college sports. He is entering his third year at the University of Alabama and serves as the sports editor for The Crimson White, the school's student publication, covering primarily Alabama football and men's basketball.

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Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London (5) reacts after a first down during the second half of an NFL game against the Carolina Panthers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025. (Miguel Martinez/ AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

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