Patrick Mahomes is Super Bowl bound. He’s also in line for a monumental payday. 
Last year, at the age of 23-and-a-third, Mahomes became the league’s youngest MVP since Dan Marino won the award in 1984. He didn’t disappoint in his encore, either. The grizzled 24-year-old threw for for 4,031 yards with 26 touchdowns against just five interceptions in 2019. He also threw in some dazzling running plays, for good measure, resulting in two more scores and 15 first downs.
His incomparable skillset and early accomplishments point to a historic contract. The NFL’s all-time average annual value (AAV) record is made to be broken and routinely shattered each year, sometimes by quarterbacks who are not considered to be among the league’s very best. Mahomes’ case is decidedly different – he’s simply from another planet, and some execs think he’ll cross the $40MM/year threshold.
“I think he’s gonna get $40MM [per year], either over four or five years,” one NFC personnel evaluator told ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler.
Another NFC exec with negotiating experience mostly echoed that sentiment:”If Russell Wilson is at $35MM, then probably $37.5MM.”
Wilson’s deal with the Seahawks calls for $140MM across four years. Rams QB Jared Goff isn’t far behind with $134MM over the same stretch, with a whopping $110MM in guaranteed cash. Carson Wentz fell just shy with his four-year, $128MM Eagles extension. There will be new additions to this tier – including Cowboys QB Dak Prescott – but Mahomes is poised to top Prescott’s deal (whenever that happens) and set a watermark that won’t be approached for a while.
Mahomes’ rookie deal runs through 2020 and the Chiefs hold his fifth-year option to take him through 2021. Still, league officials say time is of the essence for KC.
“If I were [the Chiefs], I would be as proactive as humanly possible,” one exec told Fowler. “If Jared Goff can get no offset language in his entire contract after three years in the league, then this specific player has all the leverage. I think $40MM would be Mahomes selling himself short.”
Will Mahomes net $40MM per year, or more, on his next deal? Cast your vote below (link for app users) and back up your choice in the comment section.
Say he wins the Super Bowl and gets SB MVP.
Then the Chiefs can enter the off season as the champions and continue to add prices to make them even stronger. When the next season starts they will be even stronger than last year and likely walk into the playoffs and because they are in the AFC with their only real competition being Baltimore.
If this all comes into play and say gets another MVP or makes the Super Bowl again, I wonder if he thinks about signing a cheaper and shorter deal in order to continue winning.
Very unlikely I know but at the same time look at what he’s achieved in 2 years as a starter, maybe he thinks I’ll sign for 25mil a year for 2 more years, continue to win, then go for the money or reassess and sign for a little bit more.
Also it’s worth noting the chiefs can clear about 25 mil easily after next season with Sammy Watkins deal expiring (14mil) and Hardman able to replace him as secondary WR.
That argument is weak in todays NFL. The whole AFC, NFC is better changes every year.
That argument is weak in todays NFL. The whole AFC, NFC is better changes every year.
Yes and then Lamar Jackson becomes the first $45 mil a year QB
Yikes
Win a playoff game first bruh
I think he’s this generations Dan Marino. Will rewrite the record book like Dan and go ring less. Salary numbers quickly become irrelevant.
Huge Marino fan, but I bet he wins 5 SBs. Bet.
Payem 40 so the Chiefs can suck again
Pay him $50m a season. This way the current or next Kurt Cousins gets $40m per.
he’s worth every penny of $40mil if u compare him to other QB’s making $30+mil.
Pay the man
In my opinion, Mahomes isn’t going to be worried about getting $40M/year and being the highest payed QB like certain other quarterbacks are. I think he has the mindset that as long as he is paid good money ($25-$30M/yr) then he is a lucky man….AND he knows taking less money will help the Chiefs keep/get the players they need to continue being a top team. He knows he can’t do it by himself!! He is probably making $40M/yr just on endorsements!! He isn’t like Aaron Rodgers who cries when he isn’t getting paid enough money!!
You pay the man what he is owed. This is supply and demand. There are like 10 good qbs in the league and when you get one…you pay what it takes and deal with having less money for the rest of your team later. The union would lose its stuff if he took 5-10 mil less than he deserved.
Ever heard of Tom Brady?
Yeah can definitely see him taking less and being very successful.
With Brady, Big Ben, Brees, Rivers, Ryan, Rodgers, Manning and all these old guys getting ready to retire I think it’s going to be between Mahomes, Jackson, Watson, Wentz and Prescott and these guys very soon.
Mahomes and Jackson are the only two out of these guys with teams actually ready to win now. So I can see these two winning a few rings in the next 10 years.
Mahomes will surely know, these old guys are almost done, Wilson and Watson have terrible supporting casts which leaves him Jackson. If he takes slightly less for the next 5 years he can be very successful and then after that at 29 sign a big huge deal 50mil and be happy
Pay everyone what they are worth or there is zero point to a salary cap. Taking discounts is foolish. Wilson, Garoppolo, Wentz, Brees, Rodgers and Cousins all made the playoffs making tons of money.
And where are these guys now?
I agree pay people what they are worth but ultimately it’s up to the individual and franchise to agree to that amount they see as fair.
If the player (Mahomes) knows he’s the best doesn’t mean he needs to earn the most to prove it. He could say you know what I like winning and if I ask for all the money then my team will hurt because of it and I won’t be as great without them, so I want X amount of dollars. The franchise then agrees with that amount and both parties go on happily.
Why do players need to earn top dollar to make sense of a salary cap? The cap is there so one of two teams can’t be full of the best players and other teams have no good players. Look at the English premier league football. No salary cap and teams like Man City, Man U, Liverpool are on top any pay players millions while Sheffield United gets promoted and their whole teams salaries are less than 1 million dollars….
Salary caps spread talent across the league which keeps all the teams successful.
Dak probably isnt adding to that tier, they’ll just franchise tag him.
He has two years of control left. A lot can happen. What’s the rush?
I haven’t seen him enough, but from my perspective, Mahomes is almost flawless. Usually stays in the pocket as long as possible, rolls out when necessary, but doesn’t tuck it away, and when the opportunity arises, will run for a 1st down.
$40M is a lot, but considering what some other QBs get, it’s almost a bargain.
I agree Joe