When NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes made a $ 500 million deal with the Kansas City Chiefs last Tuesday, the excitement was limited. In Corona times, when not only the US economy is suffering massively, but there is also a lot of talk about waiving, Mahome’s mega-contract was hardly criticized. On the contrary. Quite a few wondered whether the 24-year-old shouldn’t have made more money.
–
Mahomes is a man with a golden arm. He regularly produces highlights with him. It is dangerous for the opponent and it is under pressure. Where other elite quarterbacks throw the ball out of the way so as not to risk losing space, the 1.90 meter tall game designer prefers to take the risk and tries to attack again. He throws from all positions. Often with success.
–
At the February Super Bowl, Patrick Mahomes led the Chiefs to their second title win, the first since their success in Super Bow IV and the merger of the NFL and the American Football League (AFL) in 1970. As the youngest quarterback in history, Mahomes was named MVP of the Super Bowl awarded. The year before, he had already been recognized as the MVP of the pre-season, the time before the playoffs.
–
Mahomes is a special player. One who can be trusted to have a career like Peyton Manning or Tom Brady that broke – or still break – almost all records.
23 percent of the total staff budget for a man
For this player, the chiefs are ready to spend a lot of money. This year, the personnel costs for the NFL professionals per team may amount to $ 198.2 million, the writes Salary Cap in front. The Chiefs accounted for almost 23 percent of this sum alone from Mahomes. That should describe its importance well.
The new agreement with Mahomes is valid for ten years and could bring him more than $ 500 million. It will only take effect from 2022. Then Mahomes’ rookie contract expires, which he signed in 2017 as the draft’s tenth pick.
–
It is the largest contract in sports history.
–
But what took a back seat: the total amount is not guaranteed.
63 million for sure, 440 million in prospect
Player contracts in the NFL are closed constructs. The teams in particular determine what they look like, and the players have relatively less say than is known from European football. The basic salaries are relatively low in the NFL, the professionals get the big money through bonus payments. Mahomes is said to be certain of signing around $ 63 million. The new contract is set NFL Network reports according to five sources:
–
Projected, Mahomes could reach around $ 480 million through its new contract. In order to get the total of $ 503 million, his salary has to be added by 2022, which is still regulated by his rookie contract and around $ 23.5 million includes.
With the contract, Mahomes rises to new spheres. If you subtract the performance bonuses, it should earn almost $ 45 million a year from 2022. That’s ten million dollars more than the highest-paid NFL player, Seattle Russell Wilson.
The development of NFL salaries
When evaluating the deal, however, the development of the market must be taken into account. The NFL has been writing record numbers regularly for years, and players’ salaries are also developing accordingly. When quarterback Andrew Luck signed a new contract with the Indianapolis Colts in 2016, becoming the highest-paid NFL player at the time, he was cashing in on $ 140 million – over six years. If everything goes well at Mahomes, he should have earned more by March 2022.
Since the teams are subject to the salary cap, the chiefs make a pretty big bet with Mahomes. After all, this autumn is only going into its third season.
However, many experts say that the club could win this bet. On the one hand, there is the great talent of the offensive star, on the other hand, the income in the NFL has recently increased steadily.
–
And thanks to higher sales, the upper salary limit is also shifting upwards. Although the corona crisis is expected to have an economic impact on the NFL, the salary cap should continue to rise in the long term. And Mahomes ‘percentage of the Chiefs’ allowable staff budget would be correspondingly smaller.
–
NFL experts believe it is possible for the Chiefs to shape a golden era with Mahomes and coach Andy Reid. Just like Brady and Bill Belichick did with the New England Patriots. The two are considered one of the most successful duos in history, between 2001 and 2018 they won the Super Bowl six times.
Mahomes and Reid are now on a title. And they still have time: maybe twelve years.
Editor’s note: An earlier version said the Chiefs’ Super Bowl win was the first ever. In fact, it was the second, the first since the NFL merged with the American Football League (AFL) in 1970.
–
