Two Ole Miss Rebels now highest-paid at their respective NFL positions
Two of the Top 11 highest-paid players in the NFL by position are Ole Miss Rebels.
AJ Brown leads all wide receivers ($32 million/year), while Laremy Tunsil is tops of all left tackles ($25 million/year). Actually, Brown is the highest-paid wideout in league history, coming to terms with the Philadelphia Eagles on a new, three-year, $96 million-dollar extension in April.
“This is home,” Brown exclusively told the Ole Miss Spirit while in town for the ‘Grove Bowl Games’ to launch his foundation. “This will forever be home, and I’m proud to say this is my home.”
Brown is a three-time Pro Bowler and former second-round draft selection of the Tennessee Titans in 2019. He’s entering his sixth NFL season and third with the Eagles after being traded.
Philadelphia gave up first and third-round picks to Tennessee to land Brown and immediately signed him to a four-year, $100 million-dollar deal. Brown broke a 38-year Eagles record for single-season receiving yards in his debut season. He did so again a year later and also created a new single-season-best mark for receptions.
Brown, back in October, became the first player in NFL history with 125 receiving yards or more in six straight games. The record was previously held by NFL Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson.
Brown was an All-American and Biletnikoff Award semifinalist at Ole Miss.
He had the most-ever 100-yard receiving games by a Rebel (12) and finished third in career receptions (189) and fifth in receiving touchdowns (19). He’s the only Ole Miss receiver on record with 60 or more receptions in back-to-back seasons.
“(Ole Miss) had a really good season last year,” Brown said. The Rebels won a program-record 11 games and are a trendy contender pick for the now-expanded 12-team College Football Playoff.
“Two games I wish we could have got back, but I’m excited. Lane Kiffin’s been doing a great job with the program. I’m excited to see where he takes them.”
Tunsil is entering his ninth NFL season. He emerged as the NFL’s top-earning left tackle for the second time in his career last March. Tunsil re-upped with the Houston Texans on a three-year deal worth $75 million. The contract fully guaranteed $50 million. Tunsil received $30 million in signing bonus.
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He’s started every game in which he’s appeared (94) since being drafted No. 13 overall by the Miami Dolphins in the 2016 NFL Draft. Tunsil was one of three first-round Rebels. He was an All-American and All-SEC selection in his three seasons at Ole Miss. He was a first-team All-SEC honoree twice.
Tunsil’s myriad career accomplishments include a dominant, no-sacks-allowed performance against Texas A&M as a junior.
Tunsil completely neutralized then-Texas A&M EDGE Myles Garrett, who would go on to become a No. 1 overall selection. Tunsil also helped Ole Miss to the Sugar Bowl and a win over Oklahoma State.
Tunsil’s starred for Houston the last four seasons. He’s been selected to the Pro Bowl in three of the last four. Tunsil was limited to just five games in 2021 due to thumb surgery. He was with the Dolphins for three seasons. He was a PFWA All-Rookie in 2016.
Brown and Tunsil were two of four Rebels named Pro Bowlers in January.
“(Ole Miss) means everything, man,” Brown said of his alma mater at Super Bowl Media Day last February. His Eagles fell to the Kansas City Chiefs, who again won the Super Bowl in February.
“I bleed red and blue. (Ole Miss) is always home. That place will forever have a big place in my heart.”
No player is bringing in more than Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and his $55 million per. Brown is second.
