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

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. Trae Young, Hawks: $46.39 million, 2025-26 season

Young was traded by the Hawks on Jan. 9 to the Washington Wizards, but the four-time All-Star takes the top spot. He signed a five-year, $215.15 million rookie max extension ahead of the 2022-23 season.

2. Matt Ryan, Falcons: $44.76 million, 2019 season

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

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.

4. CJ McCollum, Hawks: $30.6 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. Jalen Johnson, Hawks: $30 million, 2025-26 season

Johnson earned himself a five-year, $150 million rookie extension following a breakout 2023-24 campaign that saw him improve his points per game average by 10.4 points. Since inking the deal, Johnson has continued to improve, earning his first All-NBA and All-Star selections in 2025-26.

The next-highest annual salaries are: