Patrick Mahomes, the reigning NFL MVP, had sent the sports media into a frenzy by signing a whopping $503,000,000 deal back in 2020. The superstar QB shattered all previous records, when it came to signing the biggest deal in North American sports. However, it seems like Mahomes’ record is under threat as several experts and sports writers are projecting MLB star Shohei Ohtani to sign a deal exceeding the $700,000,000 mark.
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It will take some time before an NFL athlete breaks Mahomes’ record, due to the nature of the sport and the excessive injuries players sustain during games. However, if we take the whole American sporting landscape into consideration, 29-year-old pitcher Shohei Ohtani, who is also one of the fiercest hitters in the MLB, could break the $503,000,000 benchmark set by Mahomes due to his incredible all-round abilities.
Shohei Ohtani Might Overtake Mahomes by Signing a $700,000,000 Deal
Considered to be America’s favorite pastime, Baseball has been around for ages and has been blessed by some of the greatest sportsmen in the US history. Hence, it doesn’t come as a surprise that several MLB superstars have fetched some of the biggest contracts in Sports. Legends like Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, and Giancarlo Stanton fetched record deals playing in the MLB.
However, Orange County Register business writer Jonathan Lansner reckons that Shohei, who’ll be a free agent after the 2023 season, will destroy all existing contract records, including the one set by NFL’s Patrick Mahomes. Jonathan suggested that because Ohtani is one of the finest pitchers, along with being one of the most sublime hitters in the game, he deserves to be paid for “double duty.”
“Assuming a 10-year deal, the spreadsheet says Ohtani should get a $664 million package, or roughly $66 million a year,” Lasner mentioned in his report, adding that if we take wage inflation into account, Ohtani should fetch around $70 million a year salary. This brings his 10-year contract value to $700 million, almost $200 million more than what Mahomes’ decade long contract offers him.
Patrick Mahomes’ Deal Offers $477 Million in Guaranteed, Rest are Incentives
In fact, if Ohtani ends up getting a $700 million deal, the difference between his and Mahomes’ contract might be more than $200 million. This is because the Kansas City QB’s contract offers him roughly $477 million in guaranteed mechanisms. The rest includes an array of bonuses, which he may or may not fetch.
As per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, Mahomes, in reality, got a $450 million 10-year deal. And after adding the $27 million remaining from his rookie deal, the final contract stands at $477 million for 12 years. Moreover, around $25 million as incentives depend on AFC championship wins and Super Bowl wins for the entire duration of Mahomes’ contract.
While $700 million does sound like too big a number, looking at the kind of performances Ohtani has churned out in the recent past, it won’t be a surprise if he ends up signing a $600+ million contract, which again will dethrone Mahomes from the top spot.
