Kansas City Chiefs superstar Patrick Mahomes is widely regarded as the best quarterback in the NFL. In just his fifth year as a starting quarterback, Mahomes has already won two Super Bowls.
In the summer of 2023, Mahomes signed a 10-year contract worth approximately $503 million. The deal represented the total highest value of a contract in NFL history. But as the quarterback market continues to rise and other young star signal callers ink massive deals, Mahomes lost his spot as the league’s highest-paid player.
Not being in the No. 1 spot does not seem to bother Mahomes as he appears to want to take a page out of Tom Brady’s book.
“I’ve looked at Tom’s model and how he did it,” Mahomes told Sports Illustrated.
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(L-R) TCarmen Mandato/Getty Images for The Match take part in the quarterback roundtable prior to Capital Ones The Match VI – Brady & Rodgers v Allen & Mahomes at Wynn Golf Club on June 01, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images for The Match)
Mahomes added that he wants his teammates, namely Chris Jones and tight end Travis Kelce, to have opportunities to land big paydays.
“That’s it — you want to make money for yourself and for your family. You want to keep pushing the market forward for other quarterbacks. You don’t want to be someone that they [use against other players]. But at the same time, I want these other guys to get paid. I want Chris Jones to be in training camp. I want Travis Kelce to always be making money. I want everybody on the team here.”
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Despite winning a record seven Super Bowls, all-time great Tom Brady rarely football contracts rarely surpassed the deals his peers inked.
Dec 8, 2019; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) after the game at Gillette Stadium. (Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports)
Brady was able to make a considerable amount of money off the football field, which likely helped offset the discounts he took during his two decades with the New England Patriots. In 2022, Brady’s total cash earnings from football of $30 million was tied for eighth on the list of highest-paid quarterbacks, according to Forbes.
The NFL is often referred to as a “salary cap league.” Players, especially highly compensated stars, often have to figure out how to balance between earning market value while also not accounting for such a significant amount of the salary cap that it hinders the team from retaining important pieces of the roster.
Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs speak after Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium on February 07, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers defeated the Chiefs 31-9. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Jones is entering the final season of his deal with the Chiefs and has yet to show up at training camp as he continues to seek a new contract. There are currently eight defensive tackles who outrank Jones in terms of average annual salary.
Jones recorded 15.5 sacks last season.
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The way the Chiefs structured Mahomes’ 10-year deal makes the contract somewhat team-friendly over the long haul.
Mahomes is also well aware of how the quarterback market is continuing to shift. However, as great as Mahomes is, Kansas City will have a hard time competing for championships if the surrounding roster suddenly becomes completely devoid of talent.
