Forbes Magazine released its list of the 100 Highest-Paid Athletes in the World over the past year on Tuesday and three Pittsburgh Steelers cracked the list.
Linebacker LaMarr Woodley leads the way for the black and gold as he ranked 32nd overall. Forbes list his total earnings as $26.5 million, of which 26.3 million is salary and another $150,000 in endorsements. Woodley of course signed a new deal last off-season that included a $13 million signing bonus and a $4 million roster bonus.
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger finished a few spots behind Woodley at 43rd overall with a total earnings of 23.3 million according the magazine. Only $1 million of the amount was earned from endorsements.
Linebacker Lawrence Timmons was the last Steelers player listed and he came in ranked 78th overall. His total earnings over the last year is listed as $18.6 million, of which only $500,000 came in the form of endorsements. Like Woodley, Timmons signed a contract extension before the start of the 2011 season that included a $10 million signing bonus, a $1 million roster bonus and another $6.425 bonus that was due in March.
All three players just so happened to restructure their contracts this past off-season for the Steelers to provide cap relief.
