Patrick Mahomes’ record-breaking, roughly $500 million contract looks like a steal more and more every day.
After Justin Herbert signed a five-year, $262 million extension with the Chargers, it’s official that Mahomes is the most underpaid athlete in the world.
With this deal, #Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes now drops to 8th in the NFL in QB pay per year. Justin Herbert, Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Kyler Murray and Deshaun Watson are all ahead.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) July 25, 2023
Mahomes still has 9 years left on his contract. https://t.co/olfgh5haJg
Mahomes’ brilliance extends off the field, as his willingness to favor long-term security over a short-term payday allows the Chiefs to put together the best team around him.
Big deals on the offensive line, a possible Chris Jones extension, keeping Travis Kelce around? Not all of that would be possible without Mahomes agreeing to take less than his market value.
Patrick Mahomes’ Incredible Contract Value
Mahomes has as many Super Bowl wins as those eight quarterbacks ahead of him do combined and he’s only been a starter for five seasons. Kansas City can operate knowing its quarterback is committed for the long-haul, setting a selfless example that other players can follow as well.
If Mahomes wasn’t taking less money, would Kelce be doing the same? Possibly, but it’s a beautiful situation for the Chiefs that leaves the organization in better shape moving forward than any other team in the league.
Patrick Mahomes has done a lot of incredible things in the league but signing a deal that guaranteed him $477M and the deal being viewed as taking less money and being underpaid is by far the most impressive feat. https://t.co/UWjdbfqPa6
— Carrington Harrison (@cdotharrison) July 24, 2023
There is some humor in the idea that a person making half of a billion dollars is considered so wildly underpaid, but that’s the nature of having the best quarterback to ever step on the field don your uniform.
It’s worth mentioning too, that the Chiefs’ advantage on the rest of the league is only widening. Now that young quarterbacks like Herbert, Hurts, Jackson and others are signing contracts, the advantage these teams had with a quarterback on a rookie deal is disappearing.
Mahomes said himself the Chiefs are at the beginning of a dynasty. With the value his contract provides, the golden era of Chiefs football may just be getting started.