After winning the Super Bowl and the MVP award at the age of 24, Patrick Mahomes inked a contract worth up to half a billion dollars with the Chiefs. After concluding the next season with a loss in the Finals and perhaps getting his hands on the big check, the star QB celebrated in style by surprising his then-pregnant wife, Brittany, with a black Lamborghini Urus SUV. It’s the least he could do with the bank he was making. His $503 deal at that time was the largest deal in US sports history, which was recently surpassed by MLB star Shohei Ohtani.
Advertisement
The star DH has signed a massive $700 contract with the LA Dodgers, which is nothing like Mahomes’ contract, as the former will make only $2 million next season. But did that stop Shohei Ohtani from marking the special occasion with flair?
Much like the NFL star, Ohtani went on to gift a stunning silver Porsche to his teammate, Joe Kelly’s wife, Ashley. It was certainly a beautiful gesture by the five-time NPB All-Star in support of Ashley’s online campaign. After Ohtani joined the Dodgers, Kelly apparently offered up her husband’s No. 17 jersey, the same number that holds a special place in Ohtani’s heart.
As it turns out, the relief pitcher’s wife has been supporting Ohtani for a while now. She urged the team to recruit him and after they finally did so, she even jokingly proposed to rename her baby from ‘Kai’ to ‘ShoKai’. So, it’s safe to say that the two-time AL MVP has been adapting to the new environment pretty quickly and winning hearts all around.
Ashley’s new Porsche Taycan starts at $92250. With some customization, it will easily pass the $100k price tag. However, it will barely make a dent in Ohtani’s wallet, as he is now set for life with the contract he signed with the Dodgers.
Shohei Ohtani’s Fascinating Contract
The three-time All-Star might have signed a $700 million contract with the Boys in Blue, but he will go to earn 97% of this after retirement. This isn’t a typical NFL contract, like the one Mahomes signed with the Chiefs. If we compare the two stars’ payouts for the next few years, it’s nearly laughable.
This season, Mahomes will go home with a whopping $56.85 million before taxes. He will go on to make $44.5 million in 2024, $50 million in 2025, and 56.76 million in 2026. However, Ohtani will be making only $2 million in these seasons. The rest of the money will be deferred each year without interest and will be paid after the contract is over. Crazy, right?
It’s also worth noting that contracts like Ohtani’s are fully guaranteed while NFL contracts are often partially guaranteed and the player has to honor their terms to take it all home and reach certain milestones to earn the incentives.
NFL teams do not offer a fully guaranteed contract for a reason. Players, other than the QB, are always prone to injury, and only a few have the chance to play after reaching their mid-30s. This has further complicated things, as running backs are now struggling to land a long-term contract, despite protesting for months before this season. So, Ohtani’s contract is certainly a good start for the sports industry and will hopefully open more doors for others.
