The Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes Isn’t Focused On Contract

In the last six weeks, two quarterbacks — Jalen Hurts and then Lamar Jackson — have signed contracts exceeding the average salary of Patrick Mahomes’ $45-million-a-year deal.

Sure, the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback still leads all NFL players in total value with a 10-year contract worth $450 million. But the two-time regular-season MVP now trails six quarterbacks — Hurts, Jackson, Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Kyler Murray and Deshaun Watson — in average annual value (AAV).

“We see what’s going on around the league,” Mahomes said. “My agent and the team always keep open communication.”

Despite his cognizance of those escalating salaries, the two-time Super Bowl MVP prioritizes championships.

“I worry about legacy and winning rings more than making money at this moment,” Mahomes said. “You’ve got to find that line where you’re making a good amount of money but you’re still keeping a lot of great players around you.”

Mahomes’ long-term deal gave the Chiefs the financial flexibility to sign free-agent acquisition Jawaan Taylor to a four-year, $80 million deal.

Though Taylor likely will end up on the right — not left side — initially, he will help replace left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., who signed with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Brown and Mahomes were close. Their young daughters have hung out, and Mahomes still talks to him on the phone.

“We had a friendship off the field just as much as on the field,” Mahomes said. “He makes Cincinnati an even better football team. So that stinks for us, but at the same time, I’m happy for him that he got to a good place where he was able to get a good contract that he deserved.”

In Cincinnati, Brown will block for quarterback Joe Burrow, who like Justin Herbert, is entering the fourth year of his rookie deal.

Their contracts likely will exceed Jackson’s, which currently leads the NFL with an AAV of $52 million.

Mahomes encourages the rising salaries.

“You want to kind of keep the bar pushing,” Mahomes said.

At the same time, Mahomes acknowledged the balancing act of earning a salary commensurate to his ability while preserving enough of the financial pie for the Chiefs to re-sign players like Chris Jones and L’Jarius Sneed, who are entering the last years of their four-year deals.

It’s a dilemma that every elite quarterback faces when his contract nears expiration.

“The guys that are getting paid this last offseason, they’re trying to find that right spot. Everybody wants to get paid a lot of money and they think they’re the best at their craft (and so) they want to get paid like that,” Mahomes said, “but at the same time keeping a lot of these great players around.”

Mahomes might no longer have the biggest yearly salary, but he’s the NFL’s biggest star. As a result, he’s been quite visible at star-studded events this offseason.

He attended the Met Gala, the Miami Grand Prix and even gave the “Riders Up” call at the Kentucky Derby.

“I’ve been able to do a lot of stuff,” he said.

Mahomes cited the Derby as something he always wanted to experience as a Super Bowl champion, but Covid-19 forced cancellation of the Derby, following the Chiefs’ win in Super Bowl LIV.

The quarterback is mostly settled down for the rest of the offseason, but he does have a few more trips planned.

One noteworthy one is a June 5 visit to the White House to celebrate the Chiefs’ Super Bowl LVII championship. Even as a tourist, Mahomes has never visited the White House.

“I’m excited to get there and see the history of it,” he said. “It’ll be a once-in-a-lifetime thing.”