The Kansas City Chiefs made positive they will have Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes round so long as doable.
Mahomes agreed to a 10-year extension worth as much as $503 million, in accordance with his company, Steinberg Sports. The deal is worth $477 million in assure mechanisms and features a no-trade clause and opt-out clauses if assure mechanisms aren’t met.
It’s the richest contract in skilled sports activities historical past, surpassing Mike Trout’s $426.5 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels.
“Since he joined the Chiefs only a few years in the past, Patrick has developed into one of the vital prolific athletes in all of sports activities,” Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt stated in a press release in regards to the quarterback who led them to their first championship in 50 years.
“With his dynamic play and infectious character, he is among the most acknowledged and beloved figures to placed on the Chiefs uniform. He’s a unprecedented chief and a credit score to the Kansas City group, and I’m delighted that he shall be a member of the Chiefs for a few years to return.”
The Chiefs had the 2018 NFL MVP below contract for the subsequent two seasons however that wasn’t almost sufficient.
“Here to remain,” Mahomes wrote on Twitter.
The contract extension begins in 2022 when the NFL wage cap is projected to be $227.5 million. However, that quantity could possibly be decrease relying on income losses as a result of cornonavirus pandemic and the chance any video games performed this season will not have followers.
Still, Mahomes will take up an enormous chunk of Kansas City’s cap area, round 20 % relying on the annual contract breakdown and remaining cap numbers. That may doubtlessly make it troublesome for the Chiefs to pay a number of star gamers large contracts.
The Chiefs already had picked up their fifth-year choice in April on Mahomes, who had been as a consequence of make $825,000 on the ultimate yr of his rookie contract this season, to maintain him round not less than by 2021. General supervisor Brett Veach stated this deal has been a precedence for fairly some time and thanked Mahomes’ brokers, Chris Cabott and Leigh Steinberg.
“His talents are so uncommon, and to couple that with an unbelievable character is excellent,” Veach stated of Mahomes. “We’re going to proceed to do all the pieces we are able to to encompass him with expertise, and this deal supplies us extra flexibility to try this. He’s clearly an integral half to our success and we’re thrilled he’s going to be the quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs for a very long time.”
Mahomes threw landing passes on consecutive fourth-quarter drives in rallying the Chiefs to their first Super Bowl title in 50 years and the primary for coach Andy Reid. That comeback efficiency earned Mahomes the Super Bowl MVP award and solely cemented his standing because the face of the Kansas City franchise.
Reid stated one of the best half is that Mahomes continues to be early in his profession. Mahomes will not flip 25 till Sept. 17.
“He’s a pure chief and all the time grinding, whether or not that’s on the sphere, within the weight room or watching movie, he desires to be one of the best,” Reid stated. “He’s a competitor and his teammates feed off his power. He makes us all higher as a company and we’re blessed he’s going to be our quarterback for years to return.”
The Chiefs traded as much as choose Mahomes 10th total within the 2017 draft, and he spent one season studying the ropes below Alex Smith earlier than getting the beginning job.
Mahomes proceeded to shatter nearly each franchise passing document whereas profitable the league MVP award, and he had the Chiefs inside extra time of touchdown within the Super Bowl that season. He additionally was The Associated Press NFL Offensive Player of the Year.
He dealt with quite a few accidents this previous season, together with a dislocated kneecap on a seemingly harmless quarterback sneak that left him sidelined for a few video games. He got here lower back to guide the Chiefs to a protracted profitable streak that culminated with a collection of come-from-behind wins within the playoffs, together with their second-half rally within the Super Bowl.
He is 24-7 as a starter, finishing 65.9% of his passes with 76 touchdowns and solely 18 interceptions. Mahomes is 724 of 1,099 for 9,412 yards passing, averaging 303.6 yards per recreation with a 108.9 profession quarterback score. He additionally has run 110 occasions for 500 yards with 4 TDs.
He has led the Chiefs to back-to-back AFC championship video games. In the postseason, Mahomes is 115 of 184 for 1,474 yards with 13 TDs and solely two interceptions with a 106.6 score.