The Chargers became the latest NFL team to suffer a key injury at quarterback when Justin Herbert suffered a broken finger in Week 14 against the Broncos. The injury proved season-ending, as he was placed on IR after finger surgery ahead of Week 15.
That will thrust an unfamiliar face into a starting role on “Thursday Night Football”: fifth-year quarterback Easton Stick.
Stick has been with the Chargers since he was selected in the 2019 NFL Draft. He was a fifth-round pick (166th overall) and the hope at the time that he was drafted was that he could develop into a potential starter or high-end backup behind Philip Rivers.
Stick never really got a chance to prove that in his early NFL career. The Chargers were positioned to select Herbert sixth overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, so he and Tyrod Taylor battled for the starting job. Stick remained with the Chargers in his third-string role during that time and reprised it in 2021 and 2022 behind Herbert and Chase Daniel.
But in 2023, Stick re-signed with the Chargers and competed with rookie Max Duggan to earn the team’s backup quarterback job. Finally, he was able to lock down the role.
Now, Stick will get a chance to make his first NFL start and prove that he can be a quality long-term backup for the Chargers. That will be important for the 28-year-old as he prepares to hit free agency in 2024.
MORE: Latest updates on Justin Herbert as finger injury ends his 2023 season
How much is Easton Stick making in 2023? Here’s a breakdown of his contract with the Chargers and his career earnings to date.
Easton Stick contract details
Stick is playing the 2023 NFL season on a one-year contract worth up to $ 1.8 million. He signed the extension just days ahead of 2023 free agency, as his four-year rookie contract was set to expire.
Stick received just about $ 1.15 million in guaranteed money as part of his extension. He is the 53rd-highest-paid quarterback in terms of average annual value (AAV), per OverTheCap.com. He is a relative bargain for the Chargers, especially considering that many of the quarterbacks ranked below him are still playing on rookie contracts.
MORE: NFL’s highest-paid quarterbacks for 2023
Easton Stick career earnings
By the end of the 2023 NFL season, Stick will have career earnings of $ 5.06 million, per Spotrac.com. That’s largely thanks to the fact that his $ 1.8 million salary for this season is worth nearly double his previous high-water mark of $ 965,000 in 2022.
Below is a look at Stick’s earnings by season and overall:
| Season | Earnings |
| 2019 | $ 772,564 |
| 2020 | $ 675,999 |
| 2021 | $ 850,000 |
| 2022 | $ 965,000 |
| 2023 | $ 1,800,000 |
| Total | $ 5,063,563 |
POWER RANKINGS: Where Chargers stand in NFL hierarchy entering Week 15
Easton Stick stats
Despite being in the NFL for five seasons, Stick has hardly played during the regular season. That’s not a surprise since he was a third-string quarterback for his first four seasons.
Entering the 2023 season, Stick had thrown just one career pass — a 4-yard completion. But after his performance in mop-up duty against the Broncos, he brought his career total of passing attempts up to 25.
Below is a look at Stick’s stats from his five-year career to date:
| Stat | Total |
| Completions | 14 |
| Attempts | 25 |
| Comp. % | 56 |
| Passing yards | 183 |
| Pass TDs | 0 |
| INTs | 0 |
| Yards per attempt | 7.3 |
| Passer rating | 79.2 |
