REPORT: Patrick Mahomes Could Be NFL's 1st $200 Million Man
By Henry McKenna
Patrick Mahomes will soon get paid like the best quarterback in football, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
When the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback is eligible for a contract extension in 2020, he could get a deal worth over $200 million, the biggest contract in the history of football and the first signing over the $200 million mark.
He’ll deserve it at that point. Mahomes was the NFL’s best quarterback in 2018, no matter how you slice it. He led the Chiefs to a 12-4 season, and finished atop to the AFC. He has one playoff win under his belt, and might secure another on Sunday against the New England Patriots. He’ll likely win the NFL’s MVP award, thanks to a season when he completed 66 percent of his passes for 5,097 yards, 50 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
He did all that as a first-year starter.
It’s hard to imagine he will regress in 2019. If there was a way to stop Mahomes — whose physical abilities might trump Aaron Rodgers’ — you’d have to think defensive coordinators would have figured it out by now. Maybe an offseason can help a few coaches crack the code. But even if Mahomes regresses to 40 touchdowns, he will probably still be the league’s best signal-caller next season.
The interesting test for Mahomes will come after his contract when the team has less cap space to build around him. After all, he’s working with a solid offensive line and the most explosive skill players in the NFL. The Chiefs won’t be able to retain that group when Mahomes’ $200 million deal hits the cap. That will be when he needs to elevate from being the best quarterback in the league. That’s when he will try to build a legacy as one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the sport.