The finer things in life are worth forking up some extra cash. You can't blow through six episodes of "The Sopranos" on Friday night without paying for HBO. If you haven't paid extra for guacamole, well, then you're probably not a millennial.
When it comes to the NFL, one luxury stands tall above the rest: elite quarterbacks. Professional football teams pay insane amounts for average QBs, but when a generational talent walks into the locker room, they better be prepared to break the bank.
Green Bay Packers legend Aaron Rodgers is sitting on $98 million guaranteed. Seattle's Russell Wilson signed a $140 million extension. Even "Is He Actually Good?" Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons has a $150 million deal in his pocket.
But Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes? He'll be entering rare air.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported back in January 2019 that the 2018 NFL MVP could receive a record-breaking $200 million contract extension, which would be far-and-away the most money in NFL history. Then he went and more than doubled that number.
Aside from baseball's outrageous deals, only three athletes in major American sports have signed contracts that large: Brooklyn Nets star James Harden and Los Angeles Lakers point guard Russell Westbrook, plus Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry.
College & NFL Career
George Walker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Patrick Mahomes was born to be a professional athlete. His father is former MLB pitcher Pat Mahomes, who played a long, grinding career spanning almost two decades in Major League Baseball, which taught his son work ethic that few athletes learn at a young age.
"You don't get to see that people really have to work hard to become as good as they are," Patrick Mahomes II told The Kansas City Star. "So, for me seeing that as a young age as I've grown up, has shown me that I have to work just as hard to get to that level."
Safe to say, he took that advice.
Mahomes was named MaxPreps Male Athlete of the Year after dominating for Whitehouse High School just outside Tyler, Texas. As a senior, Mahomes put up 5,500 yards and 65 touchdown passes on the football field, a 93 mph fastball and .450 batting average on the baseball diamond, then added 19 points and eight rebounds per game on the basketball floor for good measure. He was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the 37th round, but opted to head for Texas Tech University.
Good choice.
In only three seasons of college football, Mahomes threw for over 11,000 passing yards and 93 touchdowns, both of which rank No. 3 in Texas Tech history behind high-volume passers Graham Harrell and Mahomes' college coach, Kliff Kingsbury. His crowning moment came during a 2016 shootout with Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield, when Mahomes set NCAA records with the most passing yards (734) and total yards (819) in a single game.
The Kansas City Chiefs traded up to select Mahomes with the 10th overall pick in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Offensive NFL players like John Ross, Corey Davis and Mitchell Trubisky went before him...
Dustin Bradford via Getty Images
After sitting behind Alex Smith his rookie year, Mahomes lit the NFL on fire, throwing for 5,097 passing yards and 50 touchdowns — both franchise records — while leading the Chiefs to a 12-4 record and AFC Championship Game berth against the New England Patriots. He earned a First-Team All-Pro nod, Pro Bowl selection, and was named both NFL Offensive Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player.
He followed that up by beating the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV, capturing his first Super Bowl MVP award in the process.
Endorsements & Commercials
Mahomes' first endorsement deal came, weirdly, from Hunt's Ketchup. After that, historic deals with Oakley, Head & Shoulders, Essentia Water, Hy-Vee, Adidas, State Farm, Bose and DirecTV followed. Specific details aren't readily available, but it's safe to say Mahomes is rolling in the dough with plenty more opportunities to come.
Not only that, but the 26-year-old was named the Madden NFL 20 cover athlete, making him the third-youngest ever behind Michael Vick (Madden 04) and Odell Beckham Jr. (Madden 16).
The NFL superstar was also instrumental on bringing Whataburger, a beloved fast-food restaurant in his home state of Texas, to Kansas and Missouri.
Charitable Work
The league is in good hands with @PatrickMahomes ?
?? Started foundation to help underserved kids
?? Took a stand with players in BLM video
?? Didn?t care if it affected contract
?? Met with Goodell to discuss BLM
?? Joined @KingJames on More Than A Vote pic.twitter.com/zclCchawls
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) September 10, 2020
Even early in his career, Mahomes is already giving back to the communities that have shown him so much respect.
In November 2019, Mahomes donated $15,000 to 15 different local charities—a total of $225,000—including United Inner City Services, KCK Public Schools, Special Olympics, Children's Mercy Hospital and Make a Wish. The 15 and the Mahomies Foundation was established in 2019 to "focus on health, wellness, communites in need of resources" around the Kansas City area.
Amid the coronavirus pandemic and COVID-19 outbreak in March 2020, Mahomes donated 15,000 meals and his foundation committed another $100,000 in aid to Kansas City Public Schools lunch programs and local organizations.
Patrick Mahomes' Fiancée Brittany Matthews
RELATED: Patrick Mahomes' Fiancée is a Former Soccer Star & Mother
Off the field, Mahomes enjoys a simple life alongside longtime girlfriend and now fiancée Brittany Matthews, a former soccer player who works as a personal trainer. They had their first child, daughter Sterling, in February 2021.
The couple also have two dogs together—Steel and Silver—whose joint Instagram account has more than 212,000 followers.
Patrick Mahomes Contract
Patrick Mahomes' deal could surpass half a billion dollars:
? 10-year extension worth up to $503 million
? Includes $477m in guarantee mechanisms(via @adamschefter) pic.twitter.com/b8p3wTIXZo
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 6, 2020
Tally it all up, and it's safe to say that Patrick Mahomes is a VERY rich dude for someone who hasn't even turned 27 years old.
Mahomes' rookie contract was a four-year deal worth $16.4 million, including a $10 million signing bonus. In the 2019 offseason, he became eligible to sign for what figured to be a record-setting new contract extension. Agent Leigh Steinberg and Chiefs GM Brett Veach were already planning to make this happen, which would balloon Mahomes' wealth to unseen heights.
ESPN reported that Patrick Mahomes signed a 10-year contract to remain the quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs through the 2031 NFL season. Adding onto the two years remaining on his rookie deal, the 12-year deal is the largest contract in league history.
Pending exact details, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Mahomes' contract is worth over $400 million and could be as much as $503 million, making him the first half-billion-dollar athlete in sports history. Take that, LeBron James and the rest of the NBA! Then, Mahomes went and became a part-owner of the MLB's Kansas City Royals and the MLS' Sporting Kansas City.
Patrick Mahomes Net Worth
Jamie Squire via Getty Images
Patrick Mahomes' net worth is estimated at $40 million in 2022, according to Celebrity Net Worth. While that number seems par for the course right now, there's no question the Texas kid is due for a huge increase as the highest-paid player in NFL history.
According to Sporting News, Mahomes made $9,495.61 per snap and $16,501.52 per pass attempt in 2020.
Is Mahomes worth over hundreds of millions and the massive salary cap hit? Well, the superstar football player and starting quarterback has led Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins and company to Kansas City's first Super Bowl in 50 years.
Then in 2020-21, he beat the Cleveland Browns in the NFL Divisional playoff round, trounced the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship Game and once again returned to the big game against Tom Brady's Tampa Bay Buccaneers for Super Bowl LV. Not a bad way to follow up your first Super Bowl appearance.
Break out the Patrick Mahomes wigs, Kansas City. This superstar isn't going anywhere.
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This post was originally published September 26, 2019. It was updated following the announcement of Patrick Mahomes' record-setting contract.
