Zach Cunningham

Detroit Lions, Inside Linebacker
Age: 31y-3m-2d (Dec 12, 1994)
Exp: 9 Years
Country: US
College: Vanderbilt
Drafted: Round 2 (#57 overall), 2017
Agent(s): Athletes First
Career Earnings

$39,484,729

2025-2025 Free Agent

Zach Cunningham signed a 1 year, $1,255,000 contract with the Detroit Lions, including an average annual salary of $1,255,000.
Contract Terms:
1 yr(s) / $1,255,000
Average Salary:
$1,255,000
Signing Bonus:
N/A
GTD at Sign:
Total GTD:
Free Agent:
2026 / UFA
MANAGE CONTRACT
Year Age Cap HitAnnual Cap % League Cap Cash Annual Cash Cumulative Dead Cap Annual
2025 31 $1,032,520 0.37% $1,257,520 $1,257,520 $2,520
2026 32
UFA
Year Age Base P5 Salary Workout Bonus Cap Hit Cap % League Dead Cap
2025 31 $1,255,000 $2,520 $1,032,520 0.37% $2,520
2026 32
UFA
Year Age Base P5 Salary Workout Bonus Cash Total Cash Cumulative Cash Remaining
2025 31 $1,255,000 $2,520 $1,257,520 $1,257,520 $1,257,520
Source: NFL contract specifics generally collected from verified reports.

2024-2024

Contract Terms:
1 yr(s) / $1,125,000
Average Salary:
$1,125,000
Signing Bonus:
N/A
GTD at Sign:
Total GTD:
Free Agent:
2025 / UFA
Spotrac Premium Tools
To see the rest of the Zach Cunningham's contract breakdowns, & gain access to all of Spotrac's Premium tools, sign up today. Already Subscribed? Login Here

2023-2023 Free Agent

Contract Terms:
1 yr(s) / $1,775,000
Average Salary:
$1,775,000
Signing Bonus:
$25,000
GTD at Sign:
$25,000
Total GTD:
$25,000
Free Agent:
2024 / UFA
Spotrac Premium Tools
To see the rest of the Zach Cunningham's contract breakdowns, & gain access to all of Spotrac's Premium tools, sign up today. Already Subscribed? Login Here

2020-2024 Extension

Contract Terms:
4 yr(s) / $58,000,000
Average Salary:
$14,500,000
Signing Bonus:
$12,000,000
GTD at Sign:
$23,500,000
Total GTD:
$32,500,000
Free Agent:
2025 / UFA
Spotrac Premium Tools
To see the rest of the Zach Cunningham's contract breakdowns, & gain access to all of Spotrac's Premium tools, sign up today. Already Subscribed? Login Here

2017-2020 Rookie

Contract Terms:
4 yr(s) / $4,471,745
Average Salary:
$1,117,936
Signing Bonus:
$1,392,178
GTD at Sign:
$2,060,439
Total GTD:
$2,060,439
Free Agent:
2021 / UFA
Spotrac Premium Tools
To see the rest of the Zach Cunningham's contract breakdowns, & gain access to all of Spotrac's Premium tools, sign up today. Already Subscribed? Login Here
Seasons

9 Years

Career Earnings thru 2026

$42,854,278

Earnings w/ Different Teams

5 teams

Earnings Per Year

Year Age Team(s) Status Cash Total Cash Cumulative Awards
2017 23
Active
Active
$1,857,178
$1,857,178
$1,857,178
$3,714,356
2018 24
Active
Active
$668,261
$668,261
$4,382,617
$5,050,878
2019 25
Active
$871,522
$5,922,400
2020 26
Active
$15,190,399
$21,112,799
2021 27
Active
Active
Active
Retained
$422,055
$422,055
$422,055
$8,548,521
$21,534,854
$21,956,909
$22,378,964
$30,927,485
2022 28
Injured
$8,338,230
$39,265,715
2023 29
Active
$1,617,343
$40,883,058
2024 30
Active
Retained
Retained
$375,000
$187,500
$151,200
$41,258,058
$41,445,558
$41,596,758
2025 31
Injured
$1,257,520
$42,854,278
Total      
$42,854,278
$42,854,278
Total
$42,854,278

Earnings Per Team

Years Team Base Signing Roster Restructure Option Incentives Cash Cumulative
5 $4,927,827 $14,784,356 $2,323,521 $7,510,000 - $115,616 $29,661,320
2 $2,325,000 - $529,395 $6,750,000 - - $9,604,395
1 $1,080,000 $25,000 - - - - $1,617,343
1 $713,700 - - - - - $713,700
1 $1,255,000 - - - $2,520 - $1,257,520
Year Team(s) Age Base Signing Roster Restructure Option Workout Incentives Cash Total Cash Cumulative
2017
23
$465,000
$465,000
$1,392,178
$1,392,178
$1,857,178
$1,857,178
$1,857,178
$3,714,356
2018
24
$668,261
$668,261
$668,261
$668,261
$4,382,617
$5,050,878
2019
25
$871,522
$871,522
$5,922,400
2020
26
$1,074,783
$12,000,000
$2,000,000
$115,616
$15,190,399
$21,112,799
2021
27
$275,000
$275,000
$275,000
$715,000
$7,510,000
$147,055
$147,055
$147,055
$323,521
$422,055
$422,055
$422,055
$8,548,521
$21,534,854
$21,956,909
$22,378,964
$30,927,485
2022
28
$1,500,000
$6,750,000
$88,230
$8,338,230
$39,265,715
2023
29
$1,080,000
$25,000
$1,617,343
$40,883,058
2024
30
$375,000
$187,500
$151,200
$375,000
$187,500
$151,200
$41,258,058
$41,445,558
$41,596,758
2025
31
$1,255,000
$2,520
$1,257,520
$42,854,278
Total
$10,301,527
$14,809,356
$14,260,000
$2,852,916
$2,520
$115,616
$42,854,278
$42,854,278
Total
$10,301,527
$14,809,356
$14,260,000
$2,852,916
$2,520
$115,616
$42,854,278

Earnings Per Team

Years Team Base Signing Roster Restructure Option Incentives Cash Cumulative
5 $4,927,827 $14,784,356 $2,323,521 $7,510,000 - $115,616 $29,661,320
2 $2,325,000 - $529,395 $6,750,000 - - $9,604,395
1 $1,080,000 $25,000 - - - - $1,617,343
1 $713,700 - - - - - $713,700
1 $1,255,000 - - - $2,520 - $1,257,520

Injuries

Year Weeks Reason
2025 DET 8 - 18 Hamstring
2022 TEN 10 - 15 Elbow
2022 TEN 17 - 18 Elbow
2021 HOU 4 - 4 COVID-19
  • May 27, 2025 Signed a 1 year $1.255 million contract with Detroit (DET)
  • Nov 27, 2024 Signed to the active roster by Denver (DEN)
  • Sep 26, 2024 Signed to the practice squad by Denver (DEN)
  • Aug 07, 2023 Signed a 1 year $1.775 million contract with Philadelphia (PHI)
  • Feb 22, 2023 Released by Tennessee (TEN), clearing $8.92M of space
  • Mar 19, 2022 Converted $6.75M of 2022 salary into signing bonus, clearing $6.4M of cap space
  • Dec 09, 2021 Claimed off waivers by Tennessee (TEN)
  • Dec 08, 2021 Waived by Houston (HOU)
  • Mar 30, 2021 Converted $7.51M of 2021 salary into bonus, clearing $5.63M of cap space with Houston (HOU)
  • Aug 30, 2020 Signed a 4 year $58 million contract extension with Houston (HOU)
  • Nov 03, 2017 Fined $18,231 Roughing the Passer against Russell Wilson (SEA)
  • May 12, 2017 Signed a 4 year $4.47 million contract with Houston (HOU)
  • Apr 28, 2017 Drafted by Houston (HOU): Round 2 (#57 overall)

Fines

Date Reason Fine Amount
Nov 03, 2017 Roughing the Passer against Russell Wilson (SEA) $18,231
Fines: 1 $18,231
Year Team GP GS Snaps Snaps% Sack Tackles Total Tackles Solo Tackles Assisted FFum Int
2025 DET 4 0 14 1.27 0 5 4 1 0 0
2024 DEN 7 0 13 1.18 0 3 1 2 0 0
2023 PHI 13 10 717 62.51 0 85 54 31 0 0
2022 TEN 6 6 205 19.83 0 23 14 9 0 0
2021 TEN 14 11 647 54.60 0 92 51 41 1 0
2020 HOU 16 16 944 96.42 3 164 106 58 1 0
2019 HOU 16 16 955 87.90 2 142 99 43 0 0
2018 HOU 14 14 752 71.30 0 107 73 34 2 1
2017 HOU 16 13 816 81.90 2 88 48 40 1 0
Top