When it comes to quarterback contracts in the NFL, there’s never a shortage of opinions. And this week, it was Joe Burrow’s turn to take center stage in the debate.
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It all started when a Kansas City Chiefs fan shared a bold take on Reddit, openly questioning why Burrow hasn’t been willing to take a pay cut to help the Cincinnati Bengals improve their roster, particularly on defense.
The fan’s argument was simple enough. They pointed to Burrow’s massive five-year, $275 million deal and how it strains Cincinnati’s salary cap, limiting their ability to address weaker areas. Meanwhile, the Chiefs have been paying their QB more strategically. It has allowed them to strengthen their roster more effectively.
“While Mahomes has a half a billion-dollar contract, it’s spread out over ten years, so the front office can be more flexible with it. He doesn’t make much year to year,” wrote the user. Simply put, the Redditor felt that Joe Burrow could prioritize winning over maximizing his annual income.
And to be fair, they may have a point when you consider the Bengals’ 2024 struggles. Despite having one of the best offensive rosters on paper with Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins among others, the Bengals’ defense was a weak link throughout the season.
As it turned out, the team limped to a rough start, finishing the first month at 1-3, largely due to defensive breakdowns. While Burrow and the offense eventually caught fire midseason, it proved to be too late, as the imbalanced Bengals roster finished 9-8 and missed the playoffs.
However, the Reddit thread took on another layer when fans brought up the Tom Brady factor. Many noted how the GOAT famously used to accept less money during his Patriots years, because he is reported to have left nearly $60 million to $100 million on the table over his career.
“Tom Brady did this and no others QBs followed suit, price keeps going up,” wrote a fan. “I know Tom Brady took multiple pay cuts during his career, in order to fit other players under the salary cap. That seemed to work out well for him,” observed another.
Or in other words, it’s impossible to ignore how Brady’s flexibility allowed the Patriots to maintain continuity and depth. Especially in his later years when he ranked outside the top-10 in QB salaries, yet kept winning titles.
And this is where the Joe Burrow vs. Patrick Mahomes comparison gets interesting.
Starting off with Mahomes, his 10-year, $450 million deal remains the largest in NFL history, but it’s cleverly structured, thanks to the Chiefs front-loading cash via restructures, allowing them the flexibility to adjust annually.
Thanks to this, Mahomes ranks just 12th in average annual salary today, while still taking home nearly half a billion dollars home. For the Chiefs, meanwhile, this approach has allowed them to retain talent and stay competitive, all while their quarterback keeps racking up wins and rings.
That said, Burrow’s deal is much tighter. His contract guarantees $219 million, with heavy upfront cash, which limits the Bengals’ cap manoeuvrability in the short term.
While this deal does help Burrow have the second-highest average annual salary in the league, alongside Trevor Lawrence and Jordan Love, at $55 million per year, the lack of results to show on the field remains concerning.
In short, Patrick Mahomes’ deal gives Kansas City some breathing room, while Joe Burrow’s doesn’t. And this debate about pay cuts and priorities isn’t going anywhere until Burrow adjusts his deal or the Bengals make it back to the Super Bowl.
