Shocking Details on Mahomes Contract and Impact on Dak, Cowboys

[erod]

Mahomes is a transcendent player worthy of this conversation.

Dak is a run-of-the-mil average QB that will one day be easily forgotten.

They're not comparable players.

 

[john van brocklin]

We are all butt-weary of talking Dak's contract. This household sure is. I just want to enjoy sports w/out the fuss. But money dictates a lot of sports success, whether we like it or not.

For your “dining pleasure” here are some surprising facts about Patrick Mahomes’ contract. KC's GM is truly a financial wizard. This kind of data absolutely impacts other QBs, including Mr. Prescott.

Shock #1
In 2020:
Mahomes made 10.8 million (cap dollars)
Prescott made 31.4 million (cap dollars)

Shock #2
If the Chiefs (for whatever reason) decide to move on from Mahomes after 2024, Patrick will have ‘only’ earned 34.5 million per year, and there will be ZERO dead cap. Chiefs will owe Patrick nada-zip-zero at that point.

Shock #3
Only in 2025, when Mahomes is 30, does serious money kick in, and *none* of that +30 money is guaranteed. So if Mahomes has a debilitating injury, has surprisingly declined, or the NFL salary cap hasn't risen dramatically as expected--the Chiefs can say, "We have eternal gratitude, but...."

Shock #4
If NFL revenues expand and Mahomes continues to thrive the Chiefs have total contractual control to keep Mahomes as a Chief...year by year... until Patrick is age 37. (Re-negotiation likely at some point if Chiefs desire)

Doubt it?
https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/kansas-city-chiefs/patrick-mahomes-21751/

I want Dak as a Cowboy, but *only* under terms that won't cripple the team. If Dak's agent wants $35 mil per year, I say: pound sand.

Agreed,
I like dak too, but not at the cost of killing the rest of the team

 

[Pantone282C]

Dak being better or not than Mahomes has marginal bearing on contract talks with the Cowboys.
His ability to lead them to victories in the NFCCG and SB is the big issue, IMO.
He certainly needs to reduce the fumbles and interceptions; his injury didn't help his health reliability angle.
He hasn't earned a top tier contract yet, but he is doing more to get there.
Those big performances need to translate to wins against the good teams and post season victories.

He isn't responsible for all the Cowboys' losses in the previous season's big games, but he did contribute to some of them. However, it was not his fault that they didn't beat Green Bay in 2016.
I want to see a back loaded contract with contingencies about performing well and advancing in playoff games before he gets the big bucks.

If he holds the Cowboys hostage with unreasonable contract demands, he and his brother can go elsewhere.

 

[Adreme]

We are all butt-weary of talking Dak's contract. This household sure is. I just want to enjoy sports w/out the fuss. But money dictates a lot of sports success, whether we like it or not.

For your “dining pleasure” here are some surprising facts about Patrick Mahomes’ contract. KC's GM is truly a financial wizard. This kind of data absolutely impacts other QBs, including Mr. Prescott.

Shock #1
In 2020:
Mahomes made 10.8 million (cap dollars)
Prescott made 31.4 million (cap dollars)

Shock #2
If the Chiefs (for whatever reason) decide to move on from Mahomes after 2024, Patrick will have ‘only’ earned 34.5 million per year, and there will be ZERO dead cap. Chiefs will owe Patrick nada-zip-zero at that point.

Shock #3
Only in 2025, when Mahomes is 30, does serious money kick in, and *none* of that +30 money is guaranteed. So if Mahomes has a debilitating injury, has surprisingly declined, or the NFL salary cap hasn't risen dramatically as expected--the Chiefs can say, "We have eternal gratitude, but...."

Shock #4
If NFL revenues expand and Mahomes continues to thrive the Chiefs have total contractual control to keep Mahomes as a Chief...year by year... until Patrick is age 37. (Re-negotiation likely at some point if Chiefs desire)

Doubt it?
https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/kansas-city-chiefs/patrick-mahomes-21751/

I want Dak as a Cowboy, but *only* under terms that won't cripple the team. If Dak's agent wants $35 mil per year, I say: pound sand.

So basically all of your "shocks" are either wrong or misunderstood.

"Shock" 1 is the difference between being on a rookie deal, which Mahomes still is, and not being on one. With the extension, and that is what it is, they did tear up his current contract because NO TEAM DOES THAT (not even sure they can) and all they do is apply to after his 5th year option so next years number is also relatively low.

"Shock" 2 and 3 are wrong, and to a slight extent 4 is based on a faulty premise. They are wrong because you do not understand the contract and this conversation was had months ago. For pretty much every year you think he has 0 guarantees his ENTIRE salary (well roster bonus but that is over 90% of his salary) is guaranteed and it was guaranteed the first day of the previous year so in effect there is no way to get out of that contract without eating at least 40 million in dead cap space. It is simply not possible. When you look at the cap structuring sites they do not take that into account because those numbers are not TECHNICALLY guaranteed yet, but for all intents and purposes there is ZERO way for KC to get out of Mahomes contract and in fact the opposite is true.

Actually not only is there no real way out of that contract for KC, but also the opposite to your premise is true. If you look at the 6th year of that extension, 2027, there is a 60 million dollar cap hit that the team can simply not afford to eat so to get around that they are going to have to be approaching him about either an extension or rework before that.

Basically every premise of your argument is factually and provably wrong and was talked about when the deal was signed.

 

[FVSTONE]

Dak isn't worth the big bucks! He enjoyed a great season his first year, but when the injuries to the O-Line started to pile up it was obvious that Dak isn't a one man band and that the Cowboys are way to heavy for his shoulders. If JJ can sign him to a 30-33 million per yr then that should free up some money for the D side of the ball. Everyone seems to be missing something when it comes to Dak, defenses win championships.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Dak being better or not than Mahomes has marginal bearing on contract talks with the Cowboys.
His ability to lead them to victories in the NFCCG and SB is the big issue, IMO.
He certainly needs to reduce the fumbles and interceptions; his injury didn't help his health reliability angle.
He hasn't earned a top tier contract yet, but he is doing more to get there.
Those big performances need to translate to wins against the good teams and post season victories.

He isn't responsible for all the Cowboys' losses in the previous season's big games, but he did contribute to some of them. However, it was not his fault that they didn't beat Green Bay in 2016.
I want to see a back loaded contract with contingencies about performing well and advancing in playoff games before he gets the big bucks.

If he holds the Cowboys hostage with unreasonable contract demands, he and his brother can go elsewhere.

There are a lot of people that think like you but to me this line of thinking is backwards.

If you have a quarterback then can put up 5,000 yards 30 touchdowns and keep the interceptions low while the offense is putting up 25 or more points per game then I think that you need to look somewhere else other than quarterback as to what's deficient on the team.

Even if you don't think that Prescott deserves $40 million a year you're really quibbling over $5 million because he is a top 10 quarterback at the very least.

then of course there's the market where he would by far be the top quarterback available and would make top quarterback money.

The same market that is going to afford you no opportunity to replace that level of production.

If you want a shot at winning conference titles then you want to retain Prescott.

 

[Denim Chicken]

Lol, nothing is shocking and all this has been known for quite some time

 

[KingintheNorth]

Mahomes' contract laid out the blueprint on how Dallas can sign Dak long-term without crippling the salary cap immediately.

Mahomes signing it also puts some pressure on Dak to follow suit. This is how I would sell it to Dak. We can use the additional cap room to add some defensive talent and maybe extend Gallup. Dak is a team guy; I don't need him only thinking about his own financial interests. I also think you can attempt to apply this logic to his agent, specifically saying we are going to pay his other client Justin Simmons too (assuming he hits the open market).

Dak, nor his agent, can't possibly think that Dak should sign a larger contract than Mahomes, so the contract also provides a ceiling.

There's a chance for everyone to win here. Dak gets long-term financial security and the Cowboys can get better on defense.

 

[Vinnie2u]

Has any team won a super bowl with a QB getting +30 cap hit that year. Asking for a friend.

 

[Adreme]

Lol, nothing is shocking and all this has been known for quite some time

Except pretty much none of what was claimed in the first post is true so if its "known" people are knowing false information

 

[Pantone282C]

There are a lot of people that think like you but to me this line of thinking is backwards.

If you have a quarterback then can put up 5,000 yards 30 touchdowns and keep the interceptions low while the offense is putting up 25 or more points per game then I think that you need to look somewhere else other than quarterback as to what's deficient on the team.

Even if you don't think that Prescott deserves $40 million a year you're really quibbling over $5 million because he is a top 10 quarterback at the very least.

then of course there's the market where he would by far be the top quarterback available and would make top quarterback money.

The same market that is going to afford you no opportunity to replace that level of production.

If you want a shot at winning conference titles then you want to retain Prescott.

You make good points, and I respect your point of view.
I don't think he is worth 35 million. Just my opinion.

 

[BigWillie]

Shock #2
If the Chiefs (for whatever reason) decide to move on from Mahomes after 2024, Patrick will have ‘only’ earned 34.5 million per year, and there will be ZERO dead cap. Chiefs will owe Patrick nada-zip-zero at that point.

Shock #3
Only in 2025, when Mahomes is 30, does serious money kick in, and *none* of that +30 money is guaranteed. So if Mahomes has a debilitating injury, has surprisingly declined, or the NFL salary cap hasn't risen dramatically as expected--the Chiefs can say, "We have eternal gratitude, but...."

Shock #4
If NFL revenues expand and Mahomes continues to thrive the Chiefs have total contractual control to keep Mahomes as a Chief...year by year... until Patrick is age 37. (Re-negotiation likely at some point if Chiefs desire)

This is incredibly misread about his contract.

From your own link ..

• $63M guaranteed at signing (signing bonus + 2020 salary + 2021 salary + 2021 roster bonus + 2022 salary + 2022 roster bonus)
• 2023 salary & roster bonus + workout bonus fully guarantee on the 3rd league of 2021 ($100M of total dead cap)
• 2024 salary & roster bonus + workout bonus fully guarantee on the 3rd league day of 2022 ($113.3M of total dead cap)
• 2025 roster bonus + workout bonus fully guarantees on the 3rd league day of 2023 ($121.3M of total dead cap)
• 2025 salary + workout bonus fully guarantees on the 3rd league day of 2024 ($81.9M of total dead cap)
• 2026 roster bonus fully guarantees on the 3rd league day of 2025 ($80.85M of total dead cap)
• 2026 salary + workout bonus , 2027 roster bonus fully guarantee on the 3rd league day of 2026 ($91.35M of total dead cap)
• 2027 salary + workout bonus + 2028 salary + 2028 roster bonus fully guarantee on the 3rd league of 2027 ($104M of total dead cap)
• 2029 salary + workout bonus & 2029 roster bonus fully guarantee on the 3rd league day of 2028 ($89.4M of total dead cap)
• 2030 salary & 2030 roster bonus fully guarantee on the 3rd league day of 2029 ($94.85M of total dead cap)
• 2031 roster bonus fully guarantee on the 3rd league day of 2030 ($63.8M of total dead cap)
• 2031 base salary fully guarantees on the 3rd league day of 2031 ($51.9M of total dead cap)
• 2022-2031: $2.5 million incentives ($1.25 million winning AFC Champ Game $1.25 million NFL MVP)
• No Trade Clause

Spotrac only does not show the cap hit in further years because the dates for his roster bonuses in those years have not been hit yet.

In essence, Mahomes deal ends up being 2 year deals until the end of his contract. He meets a roster bonus and it activates his salary+incentives for the season after. It would cost the Chiefs 2 years of nearly $50 million in dead cap to then cut him after. This stays true until the final year of his deal in 2031.

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

That’s not true. Just look at Mahomes deal as an example. His cap hit for 2021 is 21.7 mill and 2022 it’s 27.4 mill. The next 2 years it’s about 34 mill. The salary cap will be higher then. And I’m sure after 4 years they will renegotiate. So this 40 mill cap hit everyone is whining about is fictional yet the haters use it to hate.

It is true. Mahomes deal is a 10 year deal which gives them a lot more flexibility than what DAC has been asking for and because it was an extension of his rookie contract the big sal cap numbers don't come until after the first two years.

 

[fivetwos]

First off this is old news. This was thoroughly discussed, whined about and argued about right after Mahomes signed that contract. Second, as you said if the chiefs for whatever reason decide to move on from Mahones and you give the salary that was paid up to then but conveniently left off that through the 2024 season the chiefs will have paid him 138 mil including all the bonus money that they paid. You pointed out his actual salary but fail to mention that in those years he got along with his salary 27 mil, 27 mil, 34 mil and 34.9 mil in roster bonuses that count against the cap so in actuality like 2024 Mahomes will make 40 mil. Mahomes could afford to be team friendly for the 1st couple of years when he stands to make 450 mil on the whole contract. Third, France kept demanding 40 mil a year and it was Prescott who in the last hour or so on July 15th, agreed to 35 mil. Unfortunately he and Jone couldn't get the length and guaranteed amounts done before time ran out. Most people that understand that market values go up every year and comparing this years to contracts signed years before with lower market values isn't adding apples to apples.
.
.

My first thought was this is not news.

Also....this deal was redone with time left on Mahomes rookie deal.

Either Prescott or Jerry or both decided to push their situation to the edge. Different deal.

 

[Flamma]

Patrick Mahomes signs the largest contract in the history of U.S. sports

And yet he's still on a rookie contract. He signed an extension. It starts in 2022. That's what an extension means. An extension to your current contract. Not a replacement of. In this case, an extension to his rookie deal, the one he's still on.

 

[buybuydandavis]

Ignorance must be bliss.

Read the details, 2025 is guaranteed on 3rd league day of 2023. So they can't get out in 2024 or 2025 scott free. Each year he stays adds more guarantees.

Starting 2024, each year in March the money for the *following* year becomes guaranteed.

*Also*, his contract was renegotiated after 3 years. They already owned the 4th year for 4mil or so. And then owned the 5th year option.

But for now, ignore the 5th year option, and that his contract guarantees for the following year starting in March of 2024.

His contract only really *extended* his contract 4 years, as 2020 was already bought and paid for at around 4mil (16mil was his full rookie contract, but I don't have that broken down by year). Maybe they kept his cap the same, as his salary dropped but with bonuses it went back to a 5.35mil cap hit.

141.5 total cash from 2020-2024, so about 136mil for the 4 year extension, so about 34mil/year.

*But* back to the guarantee, if they ever want to get out his contract at any year thereafter, until 2031, they have to eat a full year's contract, at 40mil and up. Instead of an extra 40mil up front as a bonus, it's an extra 40mil on the back end.

Mahomes took the contract guarantee with KC over more money. Win-win for a franchise that wanted to keep him.

Dak has always been the opposite, trying to maximize expected dollars as a free agent over security *with the Cowboys*. He chose to play for 2mil instead of get an extension and guaranteed money here. That same win-win doesn't exist here, as Dak clearly doesn't want to trade off dollars for security here.

The odd thing is purely on finances, I'd expect their preferences to be flipped.

As long as Mahomes doesn't break, he's having no problem topping out the free agent market whenever he becomes available. Financially, he should have the Dak strategy.

Dak is more iffy at topping out the free agent market, *and* he should want to lock in being the Cowboys QB for branding reasons. It's just more valuable to be the QB of the Cowboys for your marketing opportunities.

 

[black label]

 

[T-RO]

Lol, nothing is shocking and all this has been known for quite some time

Numerous posters here are still in denial. So yes: SHOCKING.

 

[CATCH17]

Draft a QB and open our Super Bowl window back up.

 

[T-RO]

It is about the value of each specific QB to his team and their ability to work under the cap.

Jerry wishes it was that simple.

When a player hits free agency it is the *market* that drives a players value. And what is the market? The highest $ value any team in the league is willing to pay.

The only exceptions here are rare Tom Brady types who prize winning above salary, or guys willing to do home team discounts. OR...where guys get hit w/franchise tag, which delays pure market forces.