The city of Pittsburgh has three professional sports teams: Penguins (NHL), the Pirates (MLB) and the The Steelers (NFL). The Penguins and Steelers play in leagues with salary caps, while the Pirates pay a luxury tax on their contracts.
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Given that the NFL and MLB have larger fan bases and media presence, it’s no surprise that players on their teams make more money than hockey players.
Although the Pirates ($84 million) are considered a small-market team, with a lower payroll than the Penguins ($87 million), the Steelers operate on a budget of $248 million.
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Excluding players who have had their contracts bought out or are on the injured or inactive list, here is a breakdown of the highest salary caps for Pittsburgh’s three professional sports teams.
10. Erik Karlsson – Penguins ($10 million)
Erik Karlsson recently moved to Pittsburgh in August 2023 and earned his spot on the list thanks to a $10 million salary cap hit on a contract he signed with the San Jose Sharks in 2019. Karlsson is the only Penguins member on the roster and is eligible to become a free agent in three seasons.
9. Isaac Seumalo – Steelers ($10.1 million)
Isaac Seumalo is a 31-year-old guard for the Steelers. His base salary for 2024 is $7.8 million, but his cap hit is $10.1 million. His contract is the sixth-highest on the team and tops everyone else in the Penguins organization. Seumalo could be a free agent after the 2025 campaign.
8. Bryan Reynolds – Pirates ($10.2 million)
© David Banks
The Pirates have just three players making more than $10 million per season, with right fielder Bryan Reynolds as the veteran in training with the highest contract. However, during the offseason, the organization acquired former World Series winner Aroldis Chapman, giving him a salary just $250,000 more than Reynolds.
Reynolds’ salary will increase each year through 2027, and he could become a free agent in 2031 if the Pirates decline the club’s $20 million offer.
7. Aroldis Chapman – Pirates ($10.5 million)
Chapman is one of the best closers in baseball, regularly throwing over 100 mph. Although he played in big markets like New York and ChicagoHis stint in Pittsburgh could be short-lived, as he is eligible to become a free agent again in 2025.
6. James Daniels – Steelers ($11.1 million)
James Daniels is in his final year of a three-year contract he signed with the Steelers in 2022. As a guard, his base salary is $8.2 million and carries a salary cap hit of $11.6 million, which equates to 4.37% of the team’s payroll. Daniels is one of six Pittsburgh professional athletes with a salary cap hit over $11 million.
5. Larry Ogunjobi – Steelers ($13.2 million)
Defensive end Larry Ogunjobi’s base salary in 2024 is $5 million, but his cap hit is $13.2 million, which is 5.20% of the Steelers’ payroll. At 30, he has one season left in 2025 before becoming a free agent.
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4. Mitch Keller – Pirates ($15.4 million)
Mitch Keller signed a five-year extension with the Pirates in 2024, paying him a base salary of $5.8 million this season. However, his totals will increase significantly in 2025, to $15 million, then cap out at $20 million in 2028.
Keller’s contract counts for $15.4 million against Pittsburgh’s luxury tax over the life of his contract when he becomes a free agent at age 33.
3. Minkah Fitzpatrick – Steelers ($21.3 million)
The Steelers signed Minkah Fitzpatrick to a five-year contract in 2022, with a base salary and salary cap hit. In 2024, his salary is set at $14.5 million (base) and $21.3 million (sub), which represents 8.36% of the team’s payroll.
Fitzpatrick will make more than $17 million in 2026 with a $24 million salary cap hit before becoming a free agent in 2027 at age 31.
2. Cameron Heyward – Steelers ($22.4 million)
Cameron Heyward signed a three-year extension with the Steelers on Sept. 3. He will be eligible for free agency in 2027 at age 38. In 2024, Heyward will earn $16 million and carry a salary cap hit of $22.4 million, or 8.77% of Pittsburgh’s financial commitments.
1. TJ Watt – Steelers ($30.4 million)
© Charles LeClaire
TJ Watt is the highest-paid professional athlete in Western Pennsylvania, with a base salary of $21 million and a salary cap hit of $30.4 million. best defensive players In the NFL, it’s no surprise he took first place.
At 30, he has two seasons remaining on his current contract and could become a free agent in 2026. Watt, Keller, Heyward, Reynolds and Crosby are the only players on this list to have played their entire careers in Pittsburgh.
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