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A familiar name popped up among the top-paid sports figures in the world, as computed by ESPN The Magazine. Yes, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan stands tied for ninth on the list with earnings of $30 million in 2013. Ryan is right alongside Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco ($30 million) and right below Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant ($30.5). Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. topped the list at $73.5 million. Three quarterbacks are ahead of Ryan: Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers ($40 million), Detroit's Matthew Stafford ($31.5 million), and New England's Tom Brady ($31.5 million). The trio is ranked fourth, sixth and seventh, respectively. Some question whether Ryan deserved to be paid like an elite quarterback with just one playoff win to his credit. Former NFL executive and current ESPN analyst Bill Polian believes Ryan is just a Super Bowl win away from joining the likes of Rodgers, Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees in the upper echelon of quarterbacks. Ryan's cash value in 2014 is $22,490,000. ESPN The Magazine also broke down the highest-paying teams, while explaining how those salaries were compiled.
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