Tua Remains Hawaiʻi’s Best Paid Pro Athlete

NFL Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will make $50 million this year, returning as the highest-paid pro athlete on our annual list.

Hawai’i’s Tua Tagovailoa hit the jackpot last summer, signing a four-year, $212.4 million contract extension with the Miami Dolphins. In per-year average, the former Saint Louis School star is the third-highest paid player in the NFL, ahead of Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts and Matthew Stafford.

But with big money comes big expectations.

These days, it might be easier for Tagovailoa to avoid a dominating pass rush than escape his skeptics. “Can he stay healthy?” (Tagovailoa has missed games due to injury in four of his five NFL seasons.) “Is he the right QB for the team?” (He has yet to lead the Dolphins to a playoff win.) And, ultimately, “Is he worth the money?” (If the Dolphins wind up having buyer’s remorse, they could cut ties with Tagovailoa either via trade or by releasing him outright.)

Meanwhile, Tagovailoa’s predecessor at Saint Louis, Marcus Mariota, has embraced his role with the Washington Commanders, serving as the team’s top backup QB and a mentor to rising star Jayden Daniels, who is in his second NFL season this year. Mariota will make $8 million with the Commanders in 2025. Less money, less scrutiny.

“I’m just kind of having fun with it, rolling with the punches,” he told Spectrum News in early July. “Whatever comes, if they need me, I’m ready to play. Otherwise, I’m here for [Daniels], just making sure he’s playing to the best of his ability.”

Here is our list of best-paid athletes with Hawai’i ties and their 2025 salaries. Our primary source is Spotrac.com, a website that tracks the contracts of athletes in major professional sports leagues. This year’s list includes former Kahuku High School star Tolu Smith, who in April became only the second Hawai’i high school graduate to play an NBA game. The first was Hilo High’s Ephraim “Red” Rocha, who last played in the league in 1957.

INDIVIDUAL SPORTS

Allisen Corpuz has yet to win an LPGA Tour event in 2025, but the Honolulu native and Punahou School graduate has still pocketed $474,835 through 15 starts so far. The 27-year-old has posted two Top 10 finishes, including a third-place result at the Ford Championship in March that earned her $150,372.

As individual performances go, however, Wai’anae’s Max Holloway is the big winner. The UFC lightweight has fought just once this year, but his unanimous decision win over Dustin Poirier at UFC 318 earned him $1.54 million. Since his UFC debut in 2012, the 33-year-old striker has earned an estimated $6.2 million in fight payouts.

1. TUA TAGOVAILOA

QUARTERBACK, MIAMI DOLPHINS
'Ewa Beach, Saint Louis School
2025 SALARY: $50,296,000*
FOUR-YEAR CONTRACT (2025-2028): $212.4 MILLION
**INCLUDES $25 MILLION SIGNING BONUS AND $250,000 WORKOUT BONUS**

2. DEFOREST BUCKNER

DEFENSIVE TACKLE, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
Wai‘anae, Punahou School
2025 SALARY: $23 MILLION*
TWO-YEAR CONTRACT EXTENSION (2025-2026): $46 MILLION 
*INCLUDES $10 MILLION ROSTER BONUS

3. TETAIROA MCMILLAN

WIDE RECEIVER, CAROLINA PANTHERS 
Waimānalo 
2025 SALARY: $17,793,012*
FOUR-YEAR CONTRACT (2025-2028): $27,930,390 
WAS SELECTED 8TH OVERALL IN THE 2025 NFL DRAFT 
*INCLUDES $16,953,012 SIGNING BONUS

4. KIRBY YATES

RELIEF PITCHER, LOS ANGELES DODGERS 
Līhu‘e, Kaua‘i High School 
2025 SALARY: $13 MILLION 
ONE-YEAR CONTRACT (2025): $13 MILLION

5. MARCUS MARIOTA

QUARTERBACK, WASHINGTON COMMANDERS 
Honolulu, Saint Louis School 
2025 SALARY: $8 MILLION* 
ONE-YEAR CONTRACT (2025): $8 MILLION 
*INCLUDES $5.5 MILLION SIGNING BONUS AND $100,000 WORKOUT BONUS

6. ISAAC SEUMALO

GUARD, PITTSBURGH STEELERS 
Born in Honolulu 
2025 SALARY: $7,875,000* 
THREE-YEAR CONTRACT (2023-2025): $24 MILLION 
*INCLUDES $1 MILLION ROSTER BONUS

7. ISIAH KINER-FALEFA

INFIELDER, PITTSBURGH PIRATES 
Honolulu, Mid-Pacific Institute 
2025 SALARY: $7.5 MILLION 
TWO-YEAR CONTRACT (2024-2025): $15 MILLION

8. JONAH SAVAIINAEA

GUARD, MIAMI DOLPHINS
Saint Louis School
2025 SALARY: $5,714,528* 
Details: Four-year contract: (2025-2028): $11,322,475

9. KA‘IMI FAIRBAIRN

PLACEKICKER, HOUSTON TEXANS 
Kailua, Punahou School 
2025 SALARY: $4.73 MILLION 
THREE-YEAR CONTRACT (2024-2026): $15.9 MILLION

10. ALOHI GILMAN

SAFETY, LOS ANGELES CHARGERS 
Lā‘ie, Kahuku High School 
2025 SALARY: $4.5 MILLION* 
TW0-YEAR CONTRACT (2024- 2025): $10,125,000 
*INCLUDES $1 MILLION ROSTER BONUS

11. JOSH ROJAS

SHORTSTOP, CHICAGO WHITE SOX 
University of Hawai‘i 
2025 SALARY: $3.5 MILLION 
ONE-YEAR CONTRACT (2025): $3.5 MILLION

12. RIGOBERTO SANCHEZ

PUNTER, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 
University of Hawai‘i 
2025 SALARY: $2.5 MILLION 
THREE-YEAR CONTRACT (2024-2026): $7.5 MILLION

13. DILLON GABRIEL

QUARTERBACK, CLEVELAND BROWNS 
Mililani, Mililani High School 
2025 SALARY: $2,008,232* 
FOUR-YEAR CONTRACT (2025-2028): $6,226,322 
*INCLUDES $1,168,232 SIGNING BONUS

14. JAHLANI TAVAI

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 
University of Hawai‘i 
2025 SALARY: $1.75 MILLION* 
THREE-YEAR CONTRACT (2025-2027): $16 MILLION 
*INCLUDES $250,000 WORKOUT BONUS

15. JAMIN DAVIS

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER, NEW YORK JETS 
Born in Honolulu 
2025 SALARY: $1,337,500 
ONE-YEAR CONTRACT (2025): $1,337

16. NETANE MUTI

GUARD, DETROIT LIONS
Leilehua High School
2025 SALARY: $1.1 MILLION
ONE-YEAR CONTRACT (2025): $1.1 MILLION

17. ROMAN WILSON

WIDE RECEIVER, PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Kīhei, Saint Louis School
2025 SALARY: $1,056,144
FOUR-YEAR CONTRACT (2024-2027): $5,745,168

18. MARIST LIUFAU

LINEBACKER, DALLAS COWBOYS
Honolulu, Punahou School
2025 SALARY: $1,053,705
FOUR-YEAR CONTRACT (2024-2027): $5,691,514

19. NICK HERBIG

LINEBACKER, PITTSBURGH STEELERS 
Kalāheo (Kaua‘i), Saint Louis School 
2025 SALARY: $1.03 MILLION
FOUR-YEAR CONTRACT (2023-2026): $4,512,920

20. ANDREI IOSIVAS

WIDE RECEIVER, CINCINNATI BENGALS
Honolulu, Punahou School
2025 SALARY: $1.03 MILLION 
FOUR-YEAR CONTRACT (2023-2026): $3,999,384

21. KANA‘I MAUGA

INSIDE LINEBACKER, LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
Wai‘anae, Wai‘anae High School
2025 SALARY: $1.03 MILLION
ONE-YEAR CONTRACT (2025): $1.03 MILLION

22. TOLU SMITH

POWER FORWARD, DETROIT PISTONS 
Kahuku High School
2025-26 SALARY: $977,689
TWO-YEAR CONTRACT (2025-2026): $1,303,554

23. JONAH LAULU

DEFENSIVE TACKLE, LAS VEGAS RAIDERS 
University of Hawai‘i
2025 SALARY: $960,000 
FOUR-YEAR CONTRACT (2024-2027): $4,124,520

24. DARIUS MUASAU

LINEBACKER, NEW YORK GIANTS
Mililani High School, UH
2025 SALARY: $960,000 
FOUR-YEAR CONTRACT (2024-2027): $4,220,912

25. TREVEN MA‘AE

DEFENSIVE TACKLE, LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
Kapolei
2025 SALARY: $865,000*
THREE-YEAR CONTRACT (2025-2027): $2.99 MILLION
*INCLUDES $25,000 SIGNING BONUS

26. BEN SCOTT

CENTER, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
Honolulu, Saint Louis School
2025 SALARY: $855,000*
THREE-YEAR CONTRACT (2025-2027): $2.98 MILLION
*INCLUDES $15,000 SIGNING BONUS

27. KOHL LEVAO

GUARD, NEW YORK JETS 
University of Hawai‘i 
2025 SALARY: $840,000 
ONE-YEAR CONTRACT (2025): $840,000

28. LUKE FELIX-FUALALO

OFFENSIVE TACKLE, SEATTLE SEAHAWKS 
University of Hawai‘i 
2025 SALARY: $840,000
THREE-YEAR CONTRACT (2025-2027): $2,965,000

29. JORDAN MURRAY

TIGHT END, CHICAGO BEARS 
University of Hawai‘i 
2025 SALARY: $840,000 
ONE-YEAR CONTRACT (2025): $840,000

30. CADE SMITH

RELIEF PITCHER, CLEVELAND GUARDIANS 
University of Hawai‘i 
2025 SALARY: $785,100
ONE-YEAR CONTRACT (2025): $785,100

31. JOEY CANTILLO

PITCHER, CLEVELAND GUARDIANS
Honolulu, Kailua High School
2025 SALARY: $762,800
ONE-YEAR CONTRACT (2025): $762,800

Editor’s Note: The following football players have been cut from their NFL teams:

Jamin Davis (cut by Commanders and N.Y. Jets)
Netane Muti (cut by Lions)
Kana’i Mauga (cut by Raiders)
Treven Ma’ael (cut by Raiders)
Ben Scott (cut by Buccaneers)
Kohl Levao (cut by Jets)
Luke Felix-Fualalo (cut by Seahawks)
Jordan Murray (cut by Bears)

UNITED FOOTBALL LEAGUE

While the UFL does not release individual player salaries, the minimum salary for the 2025 season, which ran from March to June, was $62,005. That minimum will increase to $64,000 in 2026. Alphabetically, here are UFL players with Hawai’i ties:

BRADLEE ANAE

LINEBACKER, BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS
Lā‘ie, Kahuku High School

DAE DAE HUNTER

RUNNING BACK, ARLINGTON RENEGADES 
University of Hawai‘i 

JORDAN TA‘AMU

QUARTERBACK, DC DEFENDERS 
Pearl City, Pearl City High School

CHEVAN CORDEIRO

QUARTERBACK, ST. LOUIS BATTLEHAWKS
Honolulu, Saint Louis School, University of Hawai‘i