Patrick Mahomes Responds To Big QB Contracts Across NFL, Says He Doesn't Feel Underpaid
NFL quarterbacks are getting really expensive. So expensive, in fact, that Patrick Mahomes is starting to look like a bargain.
Over the weekend, Miami's Tua Tagovailoa and Green Bay's Jordan Love both signed massive contract extensions that put them in the top five in the NFL for average salary — and yes, they're now making more per year than Mahomes.
With their new contract extensions, Jordan Love and Tua Tagovailoa are making more on a yearly average than Patrick Mahomes.
(USA TODAY Sports)
Still, the Kansas City Chiefs QB isn't sweating it.
"It's awesome for the game of football," Mahomes told USA TODAY on Sunday. "It's awesome for the quarterback position, but I think all positions. I know every time a contract comes up, everybody looks at my APY [average per year] and everything like that. I'm doing pretty well myself.
"For me, it's just about going out there trying to win football games, trying to make money for my family at the end of the day. I feel like I'm doing a great job of that."
That's a humble take from the three-time Super Bowl champion. But it does seem kind of crazy when you look at the numbers.
Patrick Mahomes Is The 11th-Highest Paid QB By Yearly Average
Tagovailoa, who led the NFL in passing yards last season, signed a four-year, $212.4 million extension that averages $53.1 million. The Green Bay Packers signed Love to a four-year, $220 million deal with an average of $55 million. Love is now tied with Cincinnati's Joe Burrow and Jacksonville's Trevor Lawrence as the highest-paid signal callers in the game. Tua comes in fourth.
And while both are tremendously talented up-and-coming players, neither of them even comes close to accomplishing what Mahomes has done during his seven years in the pros. In fact, not a single QB in the top 10 has even won one Super Bowl, let alone three.
Patrick Mahomes says he doesn't feel like he's underpaid.
(Denny Medley / USA TODAY Sports)
So does Mahomes believe he's underpaid?
"Not necessarily," he said. "I think we do a great job of managing my money, to be able to pay me a lot of money and keep a good team around me. I know we've kind of restructured it a couple of times and got the cash flow up in certain spots and certain years.
"It's about having a good dialogue, good communication with the front office, with ownership. We've done that here. And as we've been able to allow me to be a highly-paid guy while at the same time build a great team around me."
Of course, with a $45 million per year salary and countless endorsement deals, Mahomes isn't going broke anytime soon. But he did hint that a new deal may be coming in the future.
Patrick Mahomes holds the the Vince Lombardi Trophy after winning Super Bowl LVIII.
(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
"We do a great job," Mahomes said, referring to his agents and the Chiefs front office. "When I restructured, kind of moving money around the last time, we talked about a certain year when we were going to go back and do it again.
"It’s about having that plan, that constant communication. And we have that here. I’m happy to see guys going out and getting as much money as possible. That’s awesome for the sport. But here we have a great communication system where I feel like we’ve done the best with what we can do."
Maybe that's why Mahomes isn't worried about how much money the young guns are making. Because in this market, his next restructuring is going to come with about $1 billion — plus the moon and the stars.
But that's just my estimate, of course.