Sports chatter: Eagles QB Carson Wentz, three Sixers among Forbes’ highest-paid athletes in 2019

Forbes released its list of the highest-paid athletes in 2019, and Carson Wentz cracked the top 10 at $59.1 million.

Wentz was the second-highest paid NFL player behind Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins. Forbes attributed $55 million of Wentz’s earnings to salary/winnings, while the remainder went to endorsements. The Eagles quarterback signed a contract extension in June 2019 that gave him an NFL record $107 million guaranteed.

New Eagles cornerback Darius Slay also made the list. He was the 65th highest-earning athlete in 2019, raking in $26.1 million. Overall, 31 NFL players made the list.

Joel Embiid (60th), Tobias Harris (71st) and Al Horford (79th) of the Sixers also made Forbes’ list. The NBA occupied more than 1/3 of the list with 35 players named.

Embiid earned $26.7 million in 2019 to lead teammates Harris ($25.4 million) and Horford (24.4 million). Harris had the highest earnings in salaries/winnings, but Embiid took home the most with $6 million in endorsements.

Roger Federer was the highest-earning athlete last year with $106.3 million, which was slightly above soccer megastars Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

LeBron James ($88.2 million), Stephen Curry ($74.4 million) and Kevin Durant ($63.9 million) came in at fifth, sixth and seventh to lead the way for the NBA. Tiger Woods was the top-earner in golf at $62.3 million.

Tennis’ Naomi Osaka was ranked 29th on the list and the highest-earning female athlete at $37.4 million. Serena Williams finished behind her at $36 million.

DeAndre “Nuk” Hopkins doesn’t lack confidence, and he has every right to believe he’s the best receiver in the NFL.

“I know I’m the best,” Hopkins said on ESPN’s Jalen & Jacoby.

The new Cardinals receiver pointed to Michael Thomas and Julio Jones having Drew Brees and Matt Ryan to throw to them for most of their careers. Hopkins didn’t have consistency at quarterback until the Texans drafted Deshaun Watson.

In three seasons with Watson, Hopkins has topped 95 catches and 1,000 yards each year. Houston’s quarterback room was a constant revolving door before Watson arrived. Case Keenum, Matt Schaub, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ryan Mallet, Brian Hoyer, Tom Savage and T.J. Yates each started at least five games in Hopkins’ first four and a half seasons.

Hopkins mentioned Jones and Thomas as his biggest competition, so let’s assume that those are the top three receivers in the game. Standing At 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, with blazing speed, Jones may be the most physically gifted of the three. Thomas’ stats over his first four years in the league lead many to believe he has the crown. But Hopkins’ catch radius is among the best in the NFL. No matter how tight he is covered, it’s hard to win a one-on-one battle against Nuk.

Hopkins has already proven he is elite on his own, but now he is teaming up with Larry Fitzgerald and Christian Kirk to form a solid trio with the Cardinals. Combine that with catching passes from the reigning AP Offensive Rookie of the Year, Kyle Murray, in Kliff Kingsbury’s high-octane offense, and Hopkins’ numbers next season should match his claims of being the best.