Patrick Mahomes’ history making $450million contract led way before Messi, Ronaldo and Soto smashed colossal earnings
With Patrick Mahomes dominating the NFL and taking over from Tom Brady, talkSPORT takes a holiday look at his 12 most important life moments… Patrick Mahomes has raised the bar in more ways than one. Mahomes’s 2020 contract broke records across all of sportGetty Happy Holidays With Patrick Mahomes in action on Christmas Day when the Chiefs face the Steelers on Netflix, talkSPORT are taking a look at the stories that have shaped the face of the league Day 1 – Chiefs struck deal with Bills to move up for most fateful trade in NFL history Day 2 – ‘No filter’ – Mahomes sat and watched before Chiefs unleashed rookie who stunned Kelce Day 3 – ‘I’d be like Steph – Mahomes had designs on basketball career but lure of NFL prompted baseball decision Day 4 – The $450m contract that led Mahomes to become NFL first The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback, who slipped to No. 10 in the 2017 NFL Draft before being unleashed by Andy Reid, has continued to set the standard for modern NFL stars, winning three Super Bowls and three Super Bowls MVPs en route to cementing his status as the greatest player in football. But for all his on-field excellence, arguably Mahomes’ greatest impact has been economic. ‘Showtime’ ripped up the rule — and accounting — books in 2020, signing a monster 10-year, $450 million extension with the Chiefs that put him under contract through the 2031 season. At the time it was the largest contract in sports history as Mahomes becomes the first athlete with a half-billion-dollar contract. The superstar signal caller also became the first NFL player to be the highest-paid athlete in the sports world, ahead of boxing icons Floyd Mayweather and Canelo Alvarez and MLB powerhouse Mike Trout. After redshirting his rookie season, Mahomes set the NFL on fire over the next two seasons, earning two Pro Bowl bids, first-team All-Pro honors in 2018, the NFL MVP, the Super Bowl MVP and a Lombardi Trophy. In just two seasons as a starter, the then-24-year-old quarterback established himself as the new face of the NFL. He averaged 302.4 passing yards per game, including playoffs, the most in NFL history, became the youngest player to win the Super Bowl MVP and boasted the highest passer rating in NFL history. Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott is the highest paid player ever in the NFLGetty Mahomes was making $45 million annually after signing the massive contract extension. His average annual value (AAV) ultimately reset the quarterback market, allowing the likes of Dak Prescott ($60 million), Joe Burrow ($55 million), Justin Herbert ($52.5 million), Lamar Jackson ($52 million), Jalen Hurts ($51 million), Russell Wilson ($48.5 million), and Kyler Murray ($46.1 million) to ultimately surpass his salary. It meant Mahomes, who added another Lombardi trophy to his haul last season, was actually being underpaid relative to his QB counterparts. That’s why, in 2023, Mahomes and the Chiefs agreed to terms on a restructured contract that pays the quarterback $210.6 million between 2023 and 2026, the most in history over a four-year span. NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported that by the end of 2026, the deal could reach $218.1 million with escalators. Under the new terms, Mahomes would earn $52.65 million in each of the next four campaigns. Mets superstar Soto has the world’s largest sports contractGetty Ronaldo and Messi are arguably the best players ever – and being paid like it tooGetty Both sides also plan to revisit the deal again after the 2026 season, effectively cutting the remaining years on the deal from eight to three. Crucially, the new agreement put the 29-year-old right back where he deserves to be near the top of the highest earning QB list. Mahomes is rightfully earning mega money, but he’s no longer in possession of the largest contract in sports. MLB star Juan Soto recently signed for the New York Mets after agreeing a reported 15-year, $765m contract — the largest deal in professional sports history. That eye-popping deal surpassed fellow baseball star Shohei Ohtani‘s historic contract from 2023. The elite two-way phenom signed a record-setting deal worth $700 million over 10 years with the Los Angeles Dodgers, which ultimately paid dividends as they won the 2024 World Series. Those groundbreaking deals came after former Barcelona great Lionel Messi has already smashed Mahomes’ contract. Argentina’s World Cup-winning caption signed a four-year, $674 million extension with the Catalan giants ending in 2021, recognized as the third biggest contract in sports history. Messi’s longtime rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with Saudi football club Al Nassr worth $518m back in 2023, now the fourth largest contract in sports history. Mahomes currently
With Patrick Mahomes dominating the NFL and taking over from Tom Brady, talkSPORT takes a holiday look at his 12 most important life moments…
Patrick Mahomes has raised the bar in more ways than one.
Happy Holidays
With Patrick Mahomes in action on Christmas Day when the Chiefs face the Steelers on Netflix, talkSPORT are taking a look at the stories that have shaped the face of the league
The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback, who slipped to No. 10 in the 2017 NFL Draft before being unleashed by Andy Reid, has continued to set the standard for modern NFL stars, winning three Super Bowls and three Super Bowls MVPs en route to cementing his status as the greatest player in football.
But for all his on-field excellence, arguably Mahomes’ greatest impact has been economic.
‘Showtime’ ripped up the rule — and accounting — books in 2020, signing a monster 10-year, $450 million extension with the Chiefs that put him under contract through the 2031 season.
At the time it was the largest contract in sports history as Mahomes becomes the first athlete with a half-billion-dollar contract. The superstar signal caller also became the first NFL player to be the highest-paid athlete in the sports world, ahead of boxing icons Floyd Mayweather and Canelo Alvarez and MLB powerhouse Mike Trout.
After redshirting his rookie season, Mahomes set the NFL on fire over the next two seasons, earning two Pro Bowl bids, first-team All-Pro honors in 2018, the NFL MVP, the Super Bowl MVP and a Lombardi Trophy.
In just two seasons as a starter, the then-24-year-old quarterback established himself as the new face of the NFL.
He averaged 302.4 passing yards per game, including playoffs, the most in NFL history, became the youngest player to win the Super Bowl MVP and boasted the highest passer rating in NFL history.
Mahomes was making $45 million annually after signing the massive contract extension.
His average annual value (AAV) ultimately reset the quarterback market, allowing the likes of Dak Prescott ($60 million), Joe Burrow ($55 million), Justin Herbert ($52.5 million), Lamar Jackson ($52 million), Jalen Hurts ($51 million), Russell Wilson ($48.5 million), and Kyler Murray ($46.1 million) to ultimately surpass his salary.
It meant Mahomes, who added another Lombardi trophy to his haul last season, was actually being underpaid relative to his QB counterparts.
That’s why, in 2023, Mahomes and the Chiefs agreed to terms on a restructured contract that pays the quarterback $210.6 million between 2023 and 2026, the most in history over a four-year span.
NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported that by the end of 2026, the deal could reach $218.1 million with escalators.
Under the new terms, Mahomes would earn $52.65 million in each of the next four campaigns.
Both sides also plan to revisit the deal again after the 2026 season, effectively cutting the remaining years on the deal from eight to three.
Crucially, the new agreement put the 29-year-old right back where he deserves to be near the top of the highest earning QB list.
Mahomes is rightfully earning mega money, but he’s no longer in possession of the largest contract in sports.
MLB star Juan Soto recently signed for the New York Mets after agreeing a reported 15-year, $765m contract — the largest deal in professional sports history.
That eye-popping deal surpassed fellow baseball star Shohei Ohtani‘s historic contract from 2023.
The elite two-way phenom signed a record-setting deal worth $700 million over 10 years with the Los Angeles Dodgers, which ultimately paid dividends as they won the 2024 World Series.
Those groundbreaking deals came after former Barcelona great Lionel Messi has already smashed Mahomes’ contract.
Argentina’s World Cup-winning caption signed a four-year, $674 million extension with the Catalan giants ending in 2021, recognized as the third biggest contract in sports history.
Messi’s longtime rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with Saudi football club Al Nassr worth $518m back in 2023, now the fourth largest contract in sports history.
Mahomes currently holds the fifth largest sports contract in the world as he bids for a historic Super Bowl three-peat.
His Chiefs are 13-1 this season after a 21-7 Week 15 win against the Cleveland Browns, but an ankle injury has left Kansas City holding their breath about their talismanic gunslinger.
