Chuks Okorafor was the Steelers' biggest winner in performance based pay in 2020 according to a report released by the NFLPA.
Okorafor, a 2018 third-round draft pick, started 15 games for the Steelers in 2020 at right tackle after Zach Banner was injured. For his efforts, Okorafor was awarded $567,469 for playing in just over 94 percent of the team's offensive snaps last season. That is in addition to his $750,000 salary.
Other big winners in performance based pay for the Steelers included wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster ($443,518), cornerback Cam Sutton ($383,244), wide receiver Diontae Johnson ($364,074), linebacker Alex Highsmith ($360,620), safety Minkah Fitzpatrick ($357,957), linebacker Robert Spillane ($324,059), wide receiver Chase Claypool ($322,239) and running back James Conner ($295,087).
A full report of all of the performance based pay dispersions can be read here.
Per the new CBA signed last year, each team is allotted $8.5 million in performance based pay that is divvied up among players and is based on playing time and overall contract.
For example, veteran players such as Cam Heyward and Joe Haden, who both received an additional $60,000, both qualified for additional pay in 2021. They would not have been eligible in previous years because of the size of their contracts.