New Headline: Formula 1 Star Scores Record-Financed Partnership with NFL Team

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 06: Evan Williams #33 of the Green Bay Packers reacts against the Los Angeles Rams during the fourth quarter at SoFi Stadium on October 06, 2024 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) | Getty Images While NFL players and their agents work hard to get big contracts during free agency in March, another program exists to help some of the highest-performing but lowest-earning players get a little bit of extra cash. That is the Performance-Based Pay program, a collectively-bargained system that helps send more money to players who play well but are on low-value contracts.

The Green Bay Packers have seen many of their players cash in on this program over the last several years. One sure-fire way to get consideration for this is to be a day-three draft pick who is still playing on a rookie contract but as a full-time starter. That’s exactly the type of player who this program is intended to help, and one such player who will be getting a nice bump in 2026 is safety Evan Williams.

Williams, a 4th-round pick in 2024, had a great finish to his rookie season and sustained that with a great sophomore campaign. In 2025, Williams played all but one regular season game, logging over 900 defensive snaps and adding another 130-plus on special teams. He was credited with 100 total tackles on the season and added three interceptions as he helped to solidify the safety position next to veteran Xavier McKinney.

As a result of the PBP formula and Williams’ playing time and contract, he will earn just over $1 million in bonus money under the program. That bonus is the 25th-highest in the NFL as a whole and the high mark among Packers players, according to a press release from the league on Monday. No other Packers were listed, as the release only announced the top 25 earners.