Patrick Mahomes

Patrick Mahomes, Marquise Brown Likely To Play In Week 16

December 19th, 2024 at 9:43am CST by Sam Robinson

DECEMBER 19: The Chiefs do indeed plan to activate Brown ahead of Saturday’s Texans matchup, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. Provided the next few days do not include any setbacks, he will have a stretch of three contests in the lineup to prepare for Kansas City’s postseason run.

DECEMBER 17: The 2022 playoffs showcased Patrick Mahomes‘ ability to play through ankle injuries, as a gimpy version of the Chiefs superstar powered through a high ankle sprain to lead the team to a Super Bowl win. As the Chiefs aim to become the first team to win three straight Super Bowls, Mahomes does not appear likely to be sidelined as a result of a similar setback.

Suffering a high ankle sprain against the Browns in Week 15, Mahomes said (via The Associated Press’ Dave Skretta) this one is not as bad as the injury he sustained against the Jaguars in the 2022 divisional round. Mahomes practiced in full today, swinging the door open to a start against the Texans on Saturday.

“Jacksonville was worse. That one was pretty significant,” Mahomes said. “Obviously it’s responded better, quicker. That would be the best thing to say. But I want to be in a better spot than I was that next game going up against the Bengals.”

Since taking over for Alex Smith in 2018, Mahomes has only missed two starts due to injury. Both came in 2019. While Mahomes did miss a drive in the above-referenced Jaguars game and was down for much of the second half of a 2020 divisional-round game against the Browns (due to a concussion), he has been one of the NFL’s most durable quarterbacks. As a Chiefs team walking a tightrope (plus-70 point differential, 11th in the NFL) aims for the AFC’s No. 1 seed, Mahomes appears set to be back and have a new weapon at his disposal.

Marquise Brown‘s return from a summer shoulder injury has reached the point where it looks likely he will debut Saturday as well. Rumored to be on track for a Week 16 return, Brown logged a full practice Tuesday. The Chiefs lost Brown to an injury in his preseason debut and then lost Rashee Rice for the year. While Rice is done, Brown is set to be activated from IR soon.

Brown’s timetable has fluctuated since he went down in August. He had been on track to come back in September, but subsequent developments led to the wideout’s SC joint injury being tabbed to cost him the season. Rumblings in November, however, led to a return being back in play. The former Ravens and Cardinals receiver will likely have three games — depending on the Chiefs’ clinching scenarios for home-field advantage — to acclimate before the playoffs.

This has not been a good season for Mahomes, who is averaging a career-low 6.7 yards per attempt as the Chiefs have consistently struggled on offense. While the Chiefs are an NFL-best 13-1, they have relied on several late escapes rather than displaying the kind of dominance they did during their franchise cornerstone’s early QB1 years. Nevertheless, Kansas City leads Buffalo by two games. But the team has road tilts against the Steelers and Broncos following its Texans matchup. The Steelers game comes on Christmas Day, giving Mahomes a short recovery time after the Chiefs’ Saturday outing.

While it would be prudent if the Chiefs exercised caution here, Mahomes managed to get by against the Jaguars and Bengals two seasons ago despite being limited in terms of mobility. Aggravating the ankle malady in Super Bowl LVII, Mahomes memorably delivered a late scramble to put the Chiefs in range for what became a game-winning field goal. This Chiefs team has not proven to be as talented, as Travis Kelce has declined at 35, leaving it vulnerable due to the Bills having the head-to-head tiebreaker. Buffalo also faces only teams with double-digit losses (the Patriots and Jets) over the final three weeks.

Brown’s return stands to provide a potential boost, though it is probably safe to assume the Chiefs will not resemble their Tyreek Hill-era attacks even with the 5-foot-9 speedster in uniform. Kansas City ranks 12th in scoring offense and 14th in yardage. Two Chiefs wins would secure the AFC’s No. 1 seed, with the potential for two weeks of rest — in Week 18 and the bye — on the horizon. That appears to be the team’s plan, rather than using Carson Wentz while Mahomes rests now, moving forward.

Patrick Mahomes Dealing With Ankle Sprain

December 16th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

Patrick Mahomes exited the Chiefs’ Week 15 win an ankle injury, and his status will be a key storyline for the team over the coming days. The worst-case scenario appears to have been avoided, but further testing will take place on Monday.

“Patrick, his right ankle has been hurt. It’s not broken, but it’s sore,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said after the game (via NFL.com). “He’ll get started on the rehab part of it as we go, and then we’ll just have to see how he does down the road here.”

Mahomes is dealing with a high ankle sprain, as first reported by Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. As a result, he is considered week-to-week at this point; that is particularly significant given the Chiefs’ upcoming schedule. Kansas City is among the teams set to play on Saturday and then again on Christmas Day. That short turnaround could be a factor in determining Mahomes’ availability. As NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport adds, the chance remains that the three-time Super Bowl MVP will manage to practice this week.

Kansas City’s win on Sunday leaves the team with a 13-1 record. The Chiefs are on track to secure the No. 1 seed in the AFC as a result, although their loss earlier in the year to the 11-3 Bills leaves the door open to a change at the top of the conference’s standings. Playing one or both of their upcoming games without Mahomes would be a major development for the Chiefs, although it remains to be seen if that will be necessary. Florio notes the team is aware the situation could be worse, although swelling could be an issue over the coming days.

Carson Wentz took over for Mahomes, and he would get the nod in the event the latter’s ankle injury were to keep him sidelined. Wentz has bounced around since the end of his Eagles tenure, and after finding himself on the Chiefs’ radar last offseason, he took a one-year pact to serve as their backup. Wentz’s most recent start came with the Rams in last year’s regular season finale, bringing his total to 93 in that regard. He could add further to that figure soon depending on Mahomes’ prognosis.

Chiefs Rumors: Reid, Veach, Mahomes, Smith, Hopkins, Smith-Schuster, Hardman

November 14th, 2024 at 7:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

Establishing himself as one of the NFL’s all-time great head coaches during his time in Kansas City, Andy Reid has also operated as the Chiefs’ lead decision-maker. The 12th-year Chiefs HC retains final say on the team’s roster, though he has ceded some power in recent years.

Reid worked with longtime Packers exec John Dorsey during the first four seasons of his Chiefs run but effectively orchestrated a switch in 2017, with Dorsey being fired and ex-Eagles staffer Brett Veach promoted to the GM role. Veach has been at the helm for all three Chiefs Super Bowl wins during the Patrick Mahomes era, and while Dorsey was at the wheel for the trade-up that secured the QB icon (after drafting future Hall of Famers Travis Kelce and Chris Jones as well), Veach was credited with identifying the Texas Tech prospect as a hopeful Alex Smith successor.

In recent years, Reid is believed to have given Veach more say in roster matters, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes. Not all GM positions are created equal. All answer to owners (or team presidents, in the Packers’ case), while higher-ranking front office types have stood over GMs in the recent past. Some teams still have head coaches installed as their top decision-makers, though this is not the norm anymore. The Patriots and Seahawks ditched their HC-first models this offseason, respectively firing Bill Belichick and Pete Carroll. The Chiefs have been the NFL’s premier team during Mahomes’ QB1 run and obviously have no reason to change their Reid-centered approach.

Veach did pitch the idea of Mahomes’ 10-year extension to CEO Clark Hunt following the 2019 season, Fowler adds; that deal quickly became a team-friendly pact, with the QB market now at $60MM per year. Mahomes is still tied to the $45MM-AAV accord, and while the Chiefs moved money around to help cover the rising market in 2023, they still have the NFL’s most accomplished active QB signed through 2031. The club has used this as a tool to create cap space annually, completing three restructures to inflate Mahomes’ cap figures down the line.

It is true the Chiefs have used Dorsey-drafted cogs as pillars while Veach’s supporting cast has filled in around the Canton-bound mainstays, but the likes of Creed Humphrey, Trey Smith, Nick Bolton and Trent McDuffie have become standouts after being Veach draftees. Veach’s early drafts did not move the needle too far, but his 2021 and ’22 hauls helped form a low-cost core to help support the contracts given to Mahomes, Jones and left guard Joe Thuney. The two-time defending champs will soon face decisions on two members of their standout 2021 class.

Kansas City already paid Humphrey, giving their standout center a deal that topped the center market by a notable margin. Coupled with Jawaan Taylor‘s $20MM-per-year contract already featuring a fully guaranteed 2025 salary, Smith is moving closer to free agency. The Chiefs are still interested in paying Smith, but a re-up for their right guard will be costlier than Humphrey’s, as a fairly wide gap exists between the guard and center markets. Rumblings around the league point to the former sixth-round pick becoming the NFL’s highest-paid guard if he reaches the market, and Fowler adds.

Landon Dickerson‘s $21.5MM-per-year Eagles extension currently tops the guard market, but Smith has been a key part of the Chiefs’ dynasty, having established himself as a Day 1 starter while grading out well in ESPN’s win rate metrics and seeing high Pro Football Focus marks. This has not produced a Pro Bowl yet, but Robert Hunt recently proved no such honors are necessary to fetch a $20MM-per-year guard deal. Smith’s lack of recognition may well change this season, which would further bolster his FA stock.

This year’s round of free agency guard paydays will make Smith tough to keep off the market. Guards are rarely franchise-tagged, due to the tag formula grouping all O-linemen together and thus raising interior blockers’ tender numbers, but the Chiefs could conceivably carve out enough space to cuff Smith with a tag that could cost around $25MM in 2025. The Chiefs are projected to hold just $20MM in cap space, with Bolton unsigned as well. Bolton will not cost as much as Smith to retain, and Kansas City has been more willing to let key defenders walk than cornerstone offensive talent during this run. The Chiefs have expressed interest extending Bolton as well, but the off-ball LB remains on his second-round deal.

Kansas City has allowed defensive regulars to walk frequently during this period, parting ways with the likes of Tyrann Mathieu, Frank Clark, Willie Gay, Juan Thornhill and just about every cornerback to come through under DC Steve Spagnuolo. Bolton has played more than 85% of the Chiefs’ defensive snaps in each of the past three seasons, however. That will create a decision soon. The tag formula also groups on- and off-ball linebackers together. While guard tags have occurred in the recent past (via the Patriots and Thuney and Washington with Brandon Scherff), off-ball LBs are never tagged.

Some in the agent community have not been too fond of the Chiefs for using Mahomes’ team-friendly contract as a talking point during negotiations. It is true Mahomes took less; ditto Kelce. That allowed the Chiefs to give Jones a wildly player-friendly extension this offseason. Agents have pointed to some players being irked by the Chiefs using Mahomes’ contract against them in negotiations. Mahomes and Kelce also have considerable income streams outside of their Chiefs contracts — something most of the team’s other players do not. That certainly impacts a willingness to take hometown discounts.

After clinging to a shaky wide receiver plan last season, the Chiefs indeed poured more resources into their offense this offseason by signing Marquise Brown and drafting Xavier Worthy in the first round. Their plan changed again thanks to the major injuries Brown and Rashee Rice sustained. The Chiefs retained Mecole Hardman, who said (via ESPN.com’s Adam Teicher) he received some outside interest but did not seriously consider leaving Missouri again. Kansas City also re-signed JuJu Smith-Schuster following his Patriots release, turning to their top 2022 wideout in a key role prior to acquiring DeAndre Hopkins.

Prior to obtaining Hopkins from the Titans, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes Veach’s staff approached Reid’s asking whether Hopkins and Smith-Schuster could play together. Week 11 is expected to be the first time Hopkins and Smith-Schuster will suit up together. That marked a key component in moving the Tennessee trade past the goal line, with that deal also illustrating the increased power Veach has assumed since his 2017 promotion.

Veach and Reid secured offseason extensions, with the three Super Bowl wins and four appearances placing the two in commanding position. Veach’s salary within the GM ranks is not known, but Fowler adds Reid is now the NFL’s highest-paid HC at around $20MM per year. Two coaches in Reid’s own division (Jim Harbaugh, Sean Payton) ranking in the top five in coaching salaries undoubtedly helped the Kansas City maestro, with Fowler noting the Chiefs’ latest Reid extension came after two years remained on his previous deal.

Reid’s previous contract had ranked near the bottom of the top 10 among HC salaries. Unlike player deals, teams do not have to disclose these terms. But the Chiefs took care of the architect of their ascent to the league’s mountaintop. Reid, 66, has been linked to retirement for a few years. But the ex-Eagles leader has continued to assure he is not yet strongly considering an exit. Matt Nagy is seen as a potential heir apparent, but the two-time Chiefs OC is also on track to receive outside interest in 2025. That will be an interesting storyline to monitor.

For now, however, the Chiefs’ Reid- and Mahomes-powered machine is still going. Although this year’s squad has offered a high-floor/low-ceiling presentation — thanks to a plus-57 point differential that ranks just ninth in the NFL — the team will chase its 16th consecutive win Sunday against the 8-2 Bills.

NFL Active Leaders In Career Earnings

July 13th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Ben Levine

Kirk Cousins‘ four-year, $180MM deal with the Falcons this season vaulted him up the list of active career earners. This was by virtue of his $50MM signing bonus, adding to the more than $231MM he earned from the Commanders and (mostly) the Vikings throughout his career. Even under the worst-case scenario, Cousins will still see at least another $50MM come his way via his contract with Atlanta, which would push his career earnings north of $331MM.

While the soon-to-be 36-year-old Cousins will surely see a significant portion of the $80MM worth of unguaranteed money on his contract, he’ll still be hard pressed to catch Aaron Rodgers on the career-earnings list. Rodgers earned more than $306MM during his long tenure in Green Bay, and he’s already made close to $37MM during his one season in New York (mostly via the $35MM signing bonus on his reworked pact).

With at least $40MM of additional guarantees coming his way from the Jets, Rodgers will continue to grow his lead as the highest-earning NFL player of all time. Both Rodgers and Matthew Stafford were able to leap Tom Brady among the NFL’s highest all-time earners over the past year.

With all that said, we’ve listed the 25 active players who have earned the most money in their NFL careers (h/t to OverTheCap.com). While this list is up to date, it doesn’t account for soon-to-realized salaries for the 2024 campaign. This list is also solely focused on NFL cash and does not include off-the-field earnings:

QB Aaron Rodgers: $343MM
QB Matthew Stafford: $328MM
QB Russell Wilson: $305MM
QB Kirk Cousins: $281MM
QB Jared Goff: $234MM
LB Von Miller: $179MM
QB Joe Flacco: $177MM
OT Trent Williams: $171MM
QB Derek Carr: $165MM
LB Khalil Mack: $162MM
QB Dak Prescott: $161MM
DL Aaron Donald: $157MM
QB Jimmy Garoppolo: $150MM
DE Calais Campbell: $143MM
QB Deshaun Watson: $142MM
QB Patrick Mahomes: $136MM
DE Joey Bosa: $134MM
DL Leonard Williams: $134MM
WR Mike Evans: $132MM
QB Carson Wentz: $130MM
WR DeAndre Hopkins: $128MM
WR Stefon Diggs: $126MM
DE Cameron Jordan: $126MM
OT Lane Johnson: $121MM
DT Chris Jones: $120MM

QB Notes: Broncos, Mahomes, Lance

June 24th, 2024 at 3:21pm CST by Adam La Rose

By selecting Bo Nix 12th overall, Sean Payton and the Broncos added a potential franchise quarterback. Whether or not the uber-experienced college passer takes on starting duties as a rookie remains to be seen, though.

Denver used a rotation of Nix, Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson with the first-team offseason during spring practices. A report from earlier this month pointed to Nix being the favorite despite Stidham’s familiarity with Payton’s scheme. On that note, Troy Renck of the Denver Post confirms Nix “has ground to cover” relative to the 27-year-old who made two Broncos starts last season.

On the other hand, Payton has not been shy about praising Nix’s acclimation so far. The former Saints Super Bowl winner noted (via Renck’s colleague Parker Gabriel) the Oregon alum’s performances so far have matched the team’s expectations based on their pre-draft evaluations. As Renck adds, Nix could very well wind up getting the nod for Week 1. That would turn attention from Stidham’s perspective to a competition with Wilson for the QB2 gig.

Here are some other quarterback notes:

The top priority for NFL teams during this part of the year is having players avoid non-football injuries. As a result, the contracts of several players list specific activities which are deemed off-limits. In the case of Patrick Mahomes, that list includes basketball. The three-time Chiefs Super Bowl MVP would have the guarantees in his deal voided if he were to be injured playing basketball, as detailed by ESPN’s Marc Raimondi. Mahomes’ monster extension was restructured again in March to create cap space, but it still runs through 2031. Plenty of rolling guarantees (in terms of both salary and bonuses) remain on the contract, giving him ample reason to play things safe.
Trey Lance is on the books with the Cowboys for one more season, with the team having made the unsurprising decision of declining his fifth-year option. The former 49ers top-three pick did not play last year, and it remains to be seen if he will serve as Dak Prescott‘s backup. Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram notes Lance is likely still behind Cooper Rush on the depth chart. The latter has made 26 appearances and six starts for Dallas, and he has one year remaining on his deal. With both Rush and Lance set to reach free agency next spring, their respective training camp and preseason performances will be key in determining the pecking order.
Taulia Tagovailoa‘s pro football career will begin north of the border. The CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats announced Tua Tagovailoa‘s younger brother signed with the team. Taulia began his college tenure at Alabama, but he transferred to Maryland and enjoyed a successful four-year run there. Tagovailoa, 24, broke the Big Ten’s all-time records for passing yards (11,265) and completion percentage (67.1%) with the Terrapins before going undrafted into the NFL this year. He received a look from the Seahawks and Cardinals during their minicamps, but his attention will now turn to earning playing time in Hamilton.

NFL Restructures: Mahomes, Chiefs, Allen, Bills, Broncos, Browns, Martin, Cowboys

March 15th, 2024 at 6:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Completing a Marquise Brown signing after franchise-tagging L’Jarius Sneed, the Chiefs were able to find room due to once again taking advantage of Patrick Mahomes‘ unique contract. Kansas City created $21.6MM in cap space by restructuring the three-time Super Bowl MVP’s contract, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. The Chiefs have gone to this well twice before, making the move in 2021 and 2023 to create cap room. The team reworked Mahomes’ deal in September 2023, following the QB market moving well beyond the Missouri-based superstar’s $45MM AAV, by moving guaranteed money around. But the extension still runs through 2031, giving the team room to maneuver here. Even with the Sneed tag on the books — ahead of a potential trade — the Chiefs hold more than $15MM in cap space as of Friday afternoon.

Here is the latest on the restructure front:

After the Bills made a few high-profile cuts last week, they restructured their centerpiece player’s deal this week. Buffalo created $16.7MM in cap space by restructuring Josh Allen‘s deal, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. This merely moved Allen’s 2024 cap charge down to $30.4MM. No void years are on Allen’s $43MM-per-year extension, but monster cap numbers in 2026 and ’27 ($63.9MM, $56.9MM) will need to be addressed. Allen’s deal runs through 2028. The Bills also adjusted Dawson Knox‘s contract to create cap space, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
The Broncos may be preparing to take the bigger Russell Wilson dead money hit this year as opposed to in 2025. Though, the final number has not yet emerged. The team has created considerable cap space as of late, releasing Justin Simmons and trading Jerry Jeudy. The Broncos also restructured the contracts of 2023 UFA pickups Zach Allen and Ben Powers, per Yates, creating nearly $20MM in cap room.
The Cowboys reorganized Zack Martin‘s deal recently, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer, who indicates the move created roughly $13MM in cap space. To end Martin’s holdout last year, Dallas provided considerable guarantees over the final two years of the All-Pro guard’s six-year deal. That contract now features four void years. If the Cowboys do not extend Martin before the 2025 league year, they would be staring at a $24.5MM dead money blow.
Jedrick Wills will check in here, even though he is not on a veteran contract. The Browns restructured their left tackle’s fifth-year option, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. The move created more than $10MM in cap space. Cleveland tacked four void years onto Wills’ deal. If the team does not re-sign him before the 2025 league year, it incurs an $11.8MM dead money bill. The Browns also turned to Jerry Jeudy‘s fifth-year option, which the team recently acquired from the Broncos, to create more than $10MM in space, Yates adds. The team likely used the same void years-based structure with the wide receiver’s option.

QB Notes: Watson, Bears, Jones, Chiefs, Pats

October 18th, 2023 at 5:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

Missing another Browns practice, Deshaun Watson provided details on his shoulder injury Wednesday. The seventh-year passer said he suffered a micro tear in his right rotator cuff, which the Akron Beacon Journal’s Chris Easterling notes amounts to a strained shoulder. Previously called a bruise, Watson’s injury will threaten to keep him sidelined for a third game. Watson’s hiatus did not begin until the Browns ruled him out hours before their Week 4 game. Watson said an MRI conducted the night before revealed he was battling more than a bruise.

Kevin Stefanski confirmed the obvious, after a 49ers upset, that P.J. Walker will remain the team’s backup. Watson added that he has been told this micro tear will not develop into a bigger injury that requires season-ending surgery, but the well-paid QB is resting to ensure he can throw without restrictions. Although Watson himself expressed hesitancy regarding a return Sunday, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes the Browns are optimistic their top QB will be back. Watson has been cleared to play for weeks, but he and the team are believed to be on the same page regarding his return plan.

Here is the latest from the quarterback landscape:

Bouncing on and off the Bears‘ 53-man roster, Nathan Peterman is on the team at the moment. His yo-yoing between the practice squad and the active will pause for the time being, with Justin Fields doubtful for Week 7 with a dislocated thumb. Peterman, however, will serve as the backup to rookie UDFA Tyson Bagent, Matt Eberflus confirmed (via The Athletic’s Adam Jahns). Hailing from Division II Shepherd, Bagent replaced Fields in Week 6. Fields’ absence may last longer than one week, via SI.com’s Albert Breer, though it is still too early to tell here. Eberflus confirmed the team is still considering a surgery, which would redefine the team’s season.
It does not look like Daniel Jones will be able to go in Week 7. The fifth-year Giants quarterback continues to feel neck and left shoulder soreness and has not been cleared for full work. Though, Jones has been cleared to throw, Brian Daboll said. He just has not been cleared for contact, per the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz. Jones missed the final six games of the 2021 season because of a neck injury, one that led Daboll to New York to replace Joe Judge. Daboll said Jones’ season is not in jeopardy. Tyrod Taylor remains in place as the Giants’ backup, with Daboll reminding there is no competition between he and Jones for the starting role.
Stashed on the Patriots‘ practice squad until mid-October, Malik Cunningham played six offensive snaps against the Raiders in his NFL debut. The rookie UDFA may be in line for a bigger role soon. The Patriots’ coaches are discussing ways to increase the quarterback/receiver option’s usage, ESPN’s Dan Graziano writes. The Patriots have struggled in just about every facet offensively, sinking to 1-5. Cunningham flashed in the preseason. With Mac Jones and his wide receivers not making notable impacts, Cunningham would seemingly be worth a try as a gadget player.
The Chiefs updated Patrick Mahomes‘ contract in September, providing a necessary adjustment after the QB market had passed the two-time MVP since his 10-year, $450MM extension came to pass in July 2020. Mahomes remains the only NFLer signed into the 2030s, and Fowler adds some agents have wondered if the Chiefs are using their superstar quarterback’s lengthy deal as a precedent in other players’ negotiations. The Chiefs engaged in extensive Chris Jones negotiations this offseason, failing to agree on an extension. Though, money was believed to be a bigger factor than contract length. Kansas City, however, did see contract length factor into its talks with Orlando Brown Jr. last summer. The Pro Bowl left tackle balked at a six-year offer worth $139MM, citing dissatisfaction with the guarantee. Rather than what would have been a seven-year commitment to the Chiefs, Brown hit free agency and signed a four-year, $64MM Bengals deal this offseason.

Patrick Mahomes Addresses Chiefs Contract Rework

September 20th, 2023 at 9:44pm CST by Ely Allen

Two days ago, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes agreed to a new, restructured contract that gave him a significant raise for the short- and medium-term future while not requiring a completely new extension. It was noted that, while the overall value of his ten-year, $450MM contract didn’t change thus ensuring that his average annual salary didn’t change, Mahomes new deal set him up to potentially make $210.6MM over the next four years, the highest amount for that period of time in NFL history. It also sets him up to receive $56.8MM in cash for the 2023 NFL season, second only to Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, according to Spotrac.

This restructure was a nice reward for Mahomes, who, since receiving the original contract as a reward for winning the franchise’s first Super Bowl since the moon landing, has taken the team to two more Super Bowls, winning one of them, and has won a second league MVP award. But the new deal also serves a more magnanimous purpose.

“You’ve got to keep the bar going; you got to keep it moving,” Mahomes told Adam Teicher of ESPN. “I don’t want people to be negotiated against me, and so that’s the reason that you do something like I did…just trying to keep the market moving in the right direction…so not only me but other quarterbacks in other positions can get paid the money they deserve.”

That’s right. As odd as it may sound, Mahomes took a raise for the other quarterbacks in the league. He soundly reasoned that, as long as he continues to be one of the paradigms of the football world, anytime a young quarterback is up for a new contract, their accomplishments will be held in comparison to his.

The biggest downside of Mahomes’ incredibly long extension is that we have seen quarterback contracts more than double in value over the last ten years. Who’s to say how much they will continue to grow over the next ten? Perhaps, exponentially! If every young QB is being compared to Mahomes and their stats and accomplishments pale in comparison, they’ll constantly be dragged down to the level of his contract, fighting the natural inflation of player values.

Instead, Mahomes agreed to devise a way to raise the bar within the bounds of his current deal. As Jackson, Josh Allen, Deshaun Watson, Kyler Murray, Russell Wilson, Daniel Jones, Jalen Hurts, Justin Herbert, and Joe Burrow all have signed four- to six-year deals over the past couple of years, Mahomes decided to set a new precedent for deals ranging that amount of time. Mahomes has seen the value of the quarterback position continue to rise. As the reigning MVP and Super Bowl MVP, Mahomes took it upon himself to set a new bar that will continue to rise as quarterbacks earn new deals.

While Mahomes wanted to take care of himself and his fellow quarterbacks, he also didn’t want to hamper his team’s ability to win by bogarting all of Kansas City’s cap space. He wanted to make sure that general manager Brett Veach would still be able to surround him with the talent necessary for winning a third Super Bowl.

“You have to watch and see what’s going on around the league and find that right spot,” Mahomes said, “and I thought we found a good one in this negotiation…(in) that we will be able to still keep cap space for other guys to get signed.”

So, yes, Mahomes’ new contract makes him the highest-paid player in NFL history over the next four years, a just reward for his recent accolades, but it also raises the bar for what quarterbacks will be able to make in the future while preserving enough cap space to sign a talented crew around him. Who knew that becoming one of the richest players in NFL history could have such a selfless impact?

Details On Patrick Mahomes’ Reworked Chiefs Contract

September 19th, 2023 at 10:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson, Justin Herbert and Joe Burrow deals led to the Chiefs rearranging some of Patrick Mahomes‘ money. It marks an update for the two-time MVP, and the figures from the landmark adjustment are coming out.

While billed as a $200MM-plus guarantee bump, the through-2026 reworking does not hold that much in full guarantees. Mahomes will indeed see $208.1MM in total guarantees, which cover injuries, but SI.com’s Albert Breer notes the full guarantee number checks in at $133.7MM. The latter amount runs through 2025. No new years are included in the deal, which still runs through 2031. Mahomes remains the only NFLer signed into the 2030s.

The full guarantee number comes in south of Jackson’s deal ($135MM) but is in line with Herbert’s ($133.7MM), with the Chargers QB’s extension likely being a checkpoint in the Chiefs’ process. Deshaun Watson‘s full guarantee ($230MM) still laps the field, with Burrow’s $146.5MM number in second. But Mahomes has already played three seasons on the historic 10-year, $450MM extension he signed in July 2020. As QBs continue to pass Mahomes to make his AAV almost look like a second-tier number, the Kansas City superstar’s camp contacted the Chiefs about an update.

Mahomes’ agent contacted the Chiefs two days before Super Bowl LVII to inquire about a contract adjustment, Breer adds. The Chiefs tabled that discussion, with GM Brett Veach indicating this offseason the team would reassess the outlier extension after the Hurts-Jackson-Herbert-Burrow contingent’s deals were finalized. Not long after Burrow inked his record-setting five-year, $275MM deal, the Chiefs moved forward with their Mahomes update.

Overall, Mahomes will make $43.3MM more through 2026 than he was originally scheduled to earn in that span, Breer adds. As OverTheCap’s Jason Fitzgerald writes, the Chiefs moved money from Mahomes’ backloaded accord to make this happen. Mahomes also picked up a $20.6MM signing bonus, which Breer confirms will be paid now and in 2024. The seventh-year quarterback will receive $56.85MM in 2023, per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio.

The cap numbers from this rare agreement have not emerged yet, but ESPN.com’s Field Yates notes the transaction actually saves the Chiefs 2023 money. The defending champions created $2.5MM in cap space by making this move. The Chiefs came into the week with just more than $5MM in cap room. Mahomes also agreed to push back roster bonus dates to May during this through-2026 agreement, Breer adds, allowing for Chiefs flexibility during free agency. These bonuses, as part of a rolling guarantee structure that locked in the 28-year-old QB’s salaries a year out, were previously due on the third day of each league year.

None of the QBs to ink extensions since Mahomes’ came out have followed the future Hall of Famer’s blueprint. Burrow, Herbert, Jackson and Hurts each signed five-year deals, though Jackson’s is a true five-year pact due to the Ravens having franchise-tagged him. Hurts is signed for six years, while Burrow and Herbert are attached to their respective teams for seven due to the Bengals and Chargers signing their franchise QBs with two years remaining on their rookie contracts. This group will have more bites at the apple, but as Monday’s Mahomes move shows, the Chiefs are willing to accommodate their cornerstone player despite having him locked down for nine more seasons. It took a unique reworking to do so, however.

This agreement makes 2027 a natural next phase for negotiations. The QB market, which did not have a $30MM-per-year player until 2018, has climbed by $10MM in average salary since Mahomes raised the bar three summers ago. More QB extensions will move the salary ceiling well past $60MM by the time Mahomes and the Chiefs huddle up again. Mahomes will be set for his age-32 season in 2027.

Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes Agree To Restructured Deal

September 18th, 2023 at 10:03pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Chiefs have revisited the contract in place with their star quarterback, agreeing to a signficant raise in the short- and intermediate-term future. Patrick Mahomes has agreed to a revised contract in which his compensation through 2026 is guaranteed, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Schefter notes that Mahomes will receive $210.6MM between now and 2026, the most in league history across a four-year span. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network adds the two-time Super Bowl MVP can earn up to $218.1MM over that stretch via escalators. He and the Chiefs will reconvene after the 2026 campaign to address their relationship, as that year now essentially marks the end of his monster extension first signed in 2020.

That 10-year. $450MM pact has regularly led to speculation a signficant revision would be coming at some point down the road. After several (less accomplished) passers inked mega-deals of their own which exceeded his $45MM AAV, plenty have pointed to this offseason as a time when the defending champions may bring their passer back toward the top of the pecking order in terms of annual compensation. Schefter adds that Mahomes – who sat ninth in that regard after Joe Burrow‘s Bengals extension was signed – will now move “near the top” of the pile.

Knowing the likes of Burrow, Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson and Justin Herbert would be in line for enormous second contracts this offseason, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said in April that Kansas City would wait for those pacts to be signed before addressing the Mahomes situation. Each member of that quartet took turns holding the title of the league’s highest-paid player on a per-year basis, eclipsing the $51MM AAV mark along the way.

A report emerged in May indicating the Chiefs may have an agreement in place by Week 1 ensuring Mahomes moved back to the top of the heap. That timeline has proven to be slightly off, but the just-turned 28-year-old will now carry on with the 2023 season knowing his future for the remainder of the campaign (and the three following it) is in a more certain position. The move comes not long after All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones signed a revised one-year deal to end his holdout in Kansas City.

“I’ve always said I worry about legacy and winning rings more than making money at this moment,” Mahomes said in the spring. “We see what’s going on around the league, but at the same time, I’ll never do anything that’s going to hurt us from keeping the great players around me. So it’s kind of teetering around that line.”

With Jones back in the fold – and open to a new Chiefs deal keeping him in place beyond 2023 – and cost certainty now having been attained with Mahomes – Kansas City can proceed with a clearer financial outlook. The team’s Super Bowl window will likely remain open as long as the latter is healthy, but efforts to maintain as many core pieces as possible will remain a top priority with Mahomes occupying a large portion of its cap sheet.

The two-time league MVP will continue to face massive expectations given not only the success he has enjoyed to begin his career, but also the move on the Chiefs’ part to accelerate substantial cash flow over a relatively short period of time. With the end of the 2026 season now looming as a (practical) end to his deal, it will be worth watching how he performs until that point with respect to his future earning potential.

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