Patrick Mahomes Says He’s More Concerned About ‘Legacy’ Than Being Highest-Paid QB

The Chiefs star’s annual salary is now the seventh highest in the league for quarterbacks.

Some NFL quarterbacks, such as Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts, received monstrous contracts this offseason, leaving fans wondering whether other star quarterbacks in the league would sign giant deals, too.

When Chiefs starter Patrick Mahomes signed his 10-year, $450 million contract in 2020, he was the highest paid quarterback in history. Now, his $45 million annual salary ranks seventh on the list of quarterbacks, per Spotrac.

The two-time Super Bowl champion was asked about where he stands with his contract ahead of the 2023 season. Mahomes explained that he’s more concerned about other aspects of his career over the money.

“I worry about legacy and winning rings than making money at this moment,” Mahomes said Wednesday. “I’ll never do anything that’s going to hurt us. ... You just want to do whatever to not hurt other quarterbacks whenever their contracts come up. You want to keep the bar pushing. 

“It’s not about being the highest-paid guy, it’s not about making a ton of money. I’ve made enough money where I’ll be set for the rest of my life. At the same time, you got to find that line where you’re making a good amount of money, but you’re still keeping a lot of great players around you so you can win these Super Bowls and compete in these games.”

#Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes was asked about his contract and how so many other QBs have passed him:

"I worry about legacy and winning rings more than money at this moment."

"I've made enough money where I'll be set for the rest of my life."

(📽️ @Chiefs)pic.twitter.com/NWhfxcSkWr

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) May 24, 2023

The reigning NFL MVP wants to make sure his team has enough resources to continue bringing in star players. Mahomes’s contract was actually restructured back in March as the team converted $12 million of his roster bonus into a signing bonus to free up $9.6 million in cap space.