Patrick Mahomes went from the half-billion dollar man to one of the more underpaid quarterbacks in the sport in just a few years. Mahomes reset the market, and eventually other owners paid their own signal-callers as if they were on his level.
Mahomes is a team player. He wants to win, which is important to his overall legacy once his career is said and done. The Chiefs are paying Mahomes well, after all, and he should surely have an opportunity to earn a decent income after his playing days. So, what's the point in demanding more just to prove a point?
Kansas City and Mahomes restructured his contract on Monday, which will make him the highest-paid QB in the sport's history over a four-year span.
It was only a matter of time before Mahomes landed back atop the list of highest-paid quarterbacks in football. However, Mahomes deal in particular holds a lot of power, as he'll be due another raise after 2026.
Did Patrick Mahomes just give the Chiefs title window a deadline?
Mahomes' current contract may sound like a lot, but it gives Kansas City plenty of flexibility over that timespan. The Chiefs have several important pending free agents they would like to sign next offseason, including Chris Jones. Reworking Mahomes' deal again -- and perhaps pushing back some of his record guaranteed money or doing so in the form of a bonus -- could get them under the salary cap enough to sign Jones.
As Ian Rapoport later notes, this reworked contract gives Mahomes some leverage. Come 2026, he can either request the bag, or be more flexibile as he has been so far in the negotiating process. Mahomes holds the keys to the Chiefs Super Bowl window. Thankfully, he likes winning about as much as he does the money he makes.
