Patrick Mahomes is 27 years old, already two titles, a lot of money, and probably a guaranteed place in the Hall of Fame.
His 10-year contract for more than 400 million dollars? A mountain of money for ordinary mortals. But a deal not necessarily so huge in the current NFL.
On the average annual salary, the Chiefs quarterback has already been surpassed by Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Kyler Murray and Deshaun Watson.
A problem ? Not really.
“Me, my agent and the team, we are always in communication. We try to do what’s best for the team,” Mahomes told reporters on Wednesday. “But obviously I also want to do what’s best for me. »
But at the same time, I’ve always said, I’m thinking about winning titles more than making money at the moment. »
The Tom Brady Example
Over his years in New England, Tom Brady had accepted several contracts below his likely market value. The goal was to play the continuity and chain the good seasons with a winning team. That still didn’t stop Brady from being the first player to reach the $300 million career milestone. A priori, enough to live comfortably while having a few more rings than most humans on the planet.
When it comes to money, Patrick Mahomes seems to want to go that route. Think of him, but don’t forget the team… and his colleagues.
“I don’t want to hurt other quarterbacks’ negotiations when their contract ends. We want to keep pushing the limits. So it’s not about being the highest paid guy, it’s not about making a ton of money. I made enough money to be quiet for the rest of my life.
But at the same time, you have to find that balance where you make a good amount of money while still being able to keep a lot of great players around you to win Super Bowls and be competitive in games. […] If you look at the big leagues, they’ve struck that balance where they’re very well paid, but at the same time they’ve got great players around them. If you look at the team, there are guys like Chris Jones, L’Jarius Sneed and even Travis Kelce. You have to keep all these guys to have a great team. But at the same time, you want to be sure to take care of yourself. »
There are therefore athletes capable of understanding that one can live just as well with 300 million dollars as with 400 million. And win more titles along the way.
Comforting.
