In the NFL’s ever-escalating quarterback salary race, numerous signal-callers have recently inked deals exceeding the $50 million average annual value threshold – like Joe Burrow, Jared Goff, Justin Herbert, Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, and the most recent addition, Trevor Lawrence. However, the absence of one name from this elite club has caught the attention of fans and pundits alike: Patrick Mahomes.
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The Chiefs’ superstar, currently ranks a surprising 10th among the league’s highest-paid quarterbacks. And for ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith, this oversight is simply unacceptable. During a recent segment on “The Stephen A. Smith Show,” the outspoken analyst discussed why, in his opinion, no quarterback in the league deserves to be the highest-paid more than Mahomes.
Stephen A Smith emphatically urged the Chiefs’ management to act on time and reassure Mahomes’ agent that they intend to make him the league’s highest-paid player once the dust settles on the current contract frenzy.
“Kansas City Chiefs! Get on the phone now. Call Patrick Mahomes’ agent and basically say to him, ‘We’re just waiting until the dust settles, then we’ll make sure to make you the highest-paid player in the National Football League,'” Smith suggested. “Let’s get that out of the way right now. Ain’t nobody, nobody, deserves to be paid more than Patrick Mahomes.”
That being said, Patrick Mahomes’ current 10-year, $450 million deal, was considered a huge commitment when signed in 2020. However, as time passed, a handful of quarterbacks surpassed Mahomes’ $45 million average annual salary, which prompted the Chiefs to restructure his deal midway through the 2023-24 season.
Patrick Mahomes’ Restructured Contract
In September 2023, the Kansas City Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes took a step to address the ever-escalating quarterback market and restructured Mahomes’ contract to solidify his place among the league’s elite $50 million-plus earners.
The strategic move aimed to accelerate cash flow for later years, effectively increasing Mahomes’ payout by a staggering $48.3 million from 2023 to 2026.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the reconstructed deal will get Mahomes a whopping $210.6 million guaranteed between 2023 and 2026, taking his annual salary to $52.65 million.
While Mahomes’ existing deal is technically locked in through 2031, maintaining his status as one of the league’s top earners beyond 2026 will likely require renegotiating a fresh contract down the line, just as Smith suggests.
