KANSAS CITY—East Texas native Patrick Mahomes agreed to a record breaking contract extension Monday, locking him up for the next 12 years. The reigning Super Bowl MVP got the largest contract in professional sports with the chance to make over $500 million by 2031.
After leading the 2018 NFL season with 50 touchdowns and winning the league MVP award in just his second year in the league, the expectations were very high. However, Mahomes managed to come back with an even more impressive third season. The 24-year -old led the Kansas City Chiefs to an 11-3 record in his 14 starts, setting them up with a bye in the first round of the playoffs. In the divisional round, Kansas City found themselves trailing 24-0 before rallying back to a 51- 31 win.
Mahomes had to lead his team to another comeback in the AFC championship game, scoring 28 unanswered points after trailing 17-14 in the second quarter. The Chiefs advanced to their first Super Bowl appearance in 50 years, beating the Tennessee Titans 35-28.
In the big game, the Chiefs entered the fourth quarter with a 10-point deficit, but the Whitehouse alum was able to lead his team to yet another comeback. Scoring 21 unanswered points in the final quarter, the 24-year-old Mahomes became the youngest quarterback to even win the Super Bowl MVP award.
It wasn’t long ago that many questioned why Kansas City traded up to select Mahomes with the 10th pick in the 2017 draft. Now the young quarterback has just signed the largest contract in the history of the sport, and Kansas City already has one Super Bowl to show for it.
The odds of Mahomes seeing all $503 million of his contract aren’t likely, considering NFL contracts aren’t fully guaranteed. However, the east Texas native is set to make at least $141.4 million in guaranteed money and could make as much as $59.5 million in the year 2027 alone.
This huge contract has fans of both the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texan wondering what will happen to each of their respective quarterbacks. How much the Mahomes contract will effect the amount Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott will make is up for debate. The two have until July 15 to workout an extension, and many feel the new Mahomes contract could put pressure on both sides to come to an agreement.
Prescott has led the Cowboys to a record of 40-24 in his 64 starts and has thrown for 97 touchdowns while throwing just 36 interceptions. Cowboys fans will be watching how contract negotiations go between now and the July 15 deadline.