One of the biggest contributors to the Chiefs’ failure this season has been their crisis at O-line. Kansas City’s inability to protect Patrick Mahomes and the offense haven’t allowed the their offense to perform at the usual standards.
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For context, Patrick Mahomes was sacked 34 times in 14 games this season, an average of 2.43 sacks/game which is much higher than his career average that hovers around 1.6-1.8.
And nowhere were those issues more visible than on Christmas Day against the Denver Broncos. In a 20-13 loss that summed up the Chiefs’ season, the offense managed just 139 total yards and barely held the ball for 20 minutes.
Third-string quarterback Chris Oladokun was under constant pressure, the run game went nowhere while the offensive line looked overwhelmed snap after snap.
Clearly, the O-line didn’t play well. But apparently, some believe that the the Chiefs O-line isn’t also being paid well.
Claim: The Chiefs’ offensive line is barely paid, earning a combined $760,000 in 2025.
Source of the Claim: A viral post on X by Chiefs reporter Matt Derrick, which read:
“Another fun fact: the Chiefs offensive tackles in this game will make a combined $763,209 this season. Not each. Combined.”
Verdict: Evidently, this claim is misleading.
The post was accurate in a very narrow context, but it was widely misunderstood. What the tweet actually meant was the $760,000 figure applied only to the two offensive tackles who started the Broncos game, not the full offensive line.
Another fun fact: the Chiefs offensive tackles in this game will make a combined $763,209 this season. Not each. Combined.
The minimum salary in the NFL this season is $840,000. https://t.co/l5YK4lRk0F
— Matt Derrick (@mattderrick) December 26, 2025
Due to an unprecedented injury crisis, the Chiefs were forced to start Esa Pole and Chukwuebuka Godrick, the team’s fifth- and sixth-string tackles. But how come the two are earning a combined $763,209, when the league’s minimum salary per players this season is $840,000?
Well, that’s due to two reasons. First, neither of them were in the Chiefs’ Active list. And second, neither of them followed a traditional football path. Pole didn’t play high school football, while Godrick entered the NFL through the International Pathway Program.
Both players are on near-minimum deals, which is why their combined 2025 earnings is less than the league’s minimum wage.
This now leads us to the real question.
How Much Is the Chiefs’ Offensive Line Actually Paid?
The Chiefs’ offensive line payroll for 2025 totals approximately $74.13 million, placing them firmly in the upper tier of NFL spending at the position. The top 4 earners — Trey Smith ($27 million), Jawaan Taylor ($20 million), Jaylon Moore ($15 million) and Creed Humphrey ($7.19 million) alone account for nearly $70 million, before even factoring in the rest of the unit.
But the fact that some fans were gullible enough to believe the claim shows how poor the Chiefs’ O-line was vs. Denver. Fans watched a porous line, inexperienced tackles, and an offense that couldn’t function.
So when they saw a number smaller than the league minimum attached to it, they may have bought it at face value consdiering the amateurs playing on their screens.
Safe to say, if the Chiefs need to get back to winning ways next season, fixing their O-line and ensurig their availability is the first step they need to take.
