The NFL’s salary cap is dependent on a lot of factors including Nielsen ratings
For most, the details surrounding the NFL salary cap are just boring noise. Similarly, many fans couldn’t care less about television deals and streaming platforms, until it impacts how they watch specific games, especially in the NFL playoffs.
The two are very much intertwined.
In simple terms, the NFL salary cap number is decided each year based on the previous year’s league income. Combining media rights, local team revenue and league-wide event revenue (like Super Bowl, Pro Bowl, etc), the owners get a certain percentage, with the rest, generally a little less than half, going to the players in the form of the yearly salary cap number.
The salary cap has risen by over $53 million in the last two seasons alone, including a jump of $23.8 million in 2025 to $279.2 million. In 2012, that number was less than half of that and only jumped above $200 million in 2022.
It is likely we will see our first $300 million salary cap number in 2026, and it could rise well above that as soon as 2028 due to how Nielsen ratings will be calculated starting this year:
The salary cap is going to explode again, and it’s all because of this change in how Nielsen measures ratings.
Starting this year, they are leaning into using data directly from Smart TV manufacturers to measure viewing habits in addition to the traditional at-home panel method.
— Brett Kollmann (@brettkollmann.bsky.social) 2025-02-18T18:13:28.678Z
Why 2028 for the next big spike? That is when the new television deals could be in place and, with more accurate and higher ratings, the NFL will be able to secure much higher rates. Kollmann notes how that could impact decisions made this upcoming offseason:
If I’m a GM, that means next year…or maybe even this year…I can sign some truly outrageously back-loaded deals with a ton of funny money that all slams home in 2030 and not even care about the math.
— Brett Kollmann (@brettkollmann.bsky.social) 2025-02-18T18:13:28.681Z
Under GM Andrew Berry, the Cleveland Browns have been making decisions seemingly based on an ever-rising salary cap. The use of void years, accepting huge dead cap and willing to make post-June 1st releases, the Browns have spent as if cap space, and Jimmy Haslam’s money, will never be an issue.
Given the new Nielsen rating process, that is one bet that seems to be correct by Berry and the organization.