Sunday, August 9, 2026

Patrick Mahomes Restructures Chiefs Contract for Historic Payday

  • Mahomes’ restructured Chiefs deal will pay him $210.6 million through 2026, the most in NFL history over a four-year span.
  • His $52.6M average annual salary from 2023-2026 ranks second behind Joe Burrow’s $55 million average salary.
Mahomes’ restructured Chiefs deal will pay him $210.6 million through 2026, the most in NFL history over a four-year span.
Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has agreed to restructure his contract to pay him $210.6 million in guaranteed salary between this season and 2026, the most ever for an NFL player in a four-year span.

Escalators in his restructured deal could increase his total 2023-2026 compensation to $218.1 million, according to Ian Rapoport. The two-time Super Bowl champion and defending MVP signed a 10-year, $450 million extension with the Chiefs in 2020 that keeps him under contract through the 2031 season.

Mahomes’ original contract had incentives that could push his total compensation to $503 million, making it the largest athlete contract in American professional sports history. 

At $210.6 million guaranteed, Mahomes will now make $52.65 million per year for the 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026 seasons. That average annual value ranks him second among NFL players behind Joe Burrow’s $55 million AAV that he’ll get across his five-year, $275 million extension signed earlier this month with the Cincinnati Bengals. 

Mahomes’ 10-year deal originally ranked him eighth among all quarterbacks in average annual salary. His $52.65 million AAV for the next four years makes him one of five active quarterbacks to reach the $50 million per year threshold along with Burrow, the Philadelphia Eagles’ Jalen Hurts ($51M AAV), Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson ($52M AAV), and Los Angeles Chargers’ Justin Herbert ($52.5M).

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up for
The Memo Newsletter

Get the biggest stories and best analysis on the business of sports delivered to your inbox twice every weekday and twice on weekends.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

The Rams Juggernaut Is More Than ‘F Them Picks’

How a Super Bowl favorite was built in L.A.

Money Suddenly Floods NFL’s Running Back Market

The long-overlooked position gets a big jolt of new energy. 
Fanduel logo appears in this illustration taken April 22, 2026.

Gambling Industry Gears Up for ‘Arms Race’ This NFL Season

“Competition is fierce,” BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt said.

Fox Pushes Back NFL Media-Rights Negotiations Until 2028

The company also touted strong results from the FIFA men’s World Cup.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

Investing in Women’s Sports. A Conversation with Jason Wright

0:00

Featured Today

Joey Spallina of the Maryland Whipsnakes

How Eye Black Became ‘War Paint’ on the Field

“You’re going into battle, doing something you only do on game days.”
August 6, 2026

Tom Brady Explains His Aggressive Push Into Trading Cards

Brady talked to FOS about his eponymous card company.
FILE PHOTO: Cricket - Indian Premier League - IPL - Mumbai Indians v Chennai Super Kings - Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, India - April 23, 2026 Mumbai Indians' Suryakumar Yadav in action
August 5, 2026

India Is Stealing Cricket’s Throne From England and Australia

India’s insatiable appetite for cricket has shifted the traditional locus of power.
WPBL
July 30, 2026

Who’s Playing Women’s Professional Baseball?

Sixty players from 11 countries are descending on Illinois for six weeks.
Tom's Watch Bar
July 17, 2026

Sports Bars Are Cashing In From Summer of Soccer

The World Cup has brought a windfall to America’s biggest sports bars.

Clippers, Leonard Had Sponsorship Deal With Daktronics: Report

Daktronics installed the Intuit Dome’s halo board.
Dec 28, 2017; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum (3) dribbles the ball past Philadelphia 76ers forward JJ Redick (17) and guard Ben Simmons (25) during the fourth quarter at the Moda Center. The Blazers won 114-110. Mandatory Credit:
August 4, 2026

Why Pro Athletes Are Saying Their Big Contracts Weren’t So Big

“I think people should listen, because they’re telling the truth,” Chris Bosh told FOS.
Eastlake’s Julian Williams (3) runs the ball during a District 1-6A high school football game against Pebble Hills on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025, at SAC 1 in El Paso, Texas.
August 6, 2026

Texas Heat Rules Reshape High School Football Practices

Smaller programs may lack the facilities and trainers to adapt.
Sponsored

Saints Great Turns to Ownership

Marques Colston discusses his Champions Fund launch and finding success after football.
Jul 12, 2026; London, United Kingdom; Jannik Sinner (ITA) serves against Alexander Zverev (GER) (not pictured) in the gentlemen's singles final of The Championships Wimbledon 2026 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.
August 3, 2026

Star Withdrawals Test the Value of Tennis’s Masters Events

The Canadian Open is missing tennis’s biggest stars once again.
Aug 31, 2023; Flushing, NY, USA; John Isner of the United States is interviewed on court after his second round match against Michael Mmoh of the United States on day four of the 2023 U.S. Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
July 31, 2026

Former Tennis Pro on Influencers at Big Events: ‘Done a Lot for the Sport’

John Isner says there’s upside to content creators’ presence at Grand Slams.
July 30, 2026

LeBron Could Make Sixers’ Expiring Jersey Patch a Premium Asset

Philly’s deal with Crypto.com expires in 2027. 
Marques Colston
July 30, 2026

Marques Colston: Why Everyone Is Buying Into Soccer Clubs

Colston’s The Champion Fund invested in Ipswich Town.