While making his weekly appearance on “The Drive on Audacy's 96.5 The Fan“, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes shared his thoughts about NFL contracts.
“It’s all about pushing the game forward,” Mahomes said. “The NFL is bringing in a lot of money and I want guys all around the league to be able to take care of their families for a long time because they’re playing the same way.”
Mahomes is no stranger to large contracts in the slightest. In 2020, he signed a 10-year, $450 million contract to stay with the Chiefs. Since then, many players around the league have seen an increase in their contracts. Most notably, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott signed a historic four-year, $240 million contract before Week 1.
It's not only quarterbacks that have secured a big payday. Wide receivers Justin Jefferson and CeeDee Lamb, along with offensive lineman Trent Williams all signed historic contracts. Despite the numbers continually increasing, signs point to the salary cap increasing every single year.
Why does Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes want increased contracts?
As the NFL salary cap continues to increase, teams have more money to spend. The salary cap fluctuated because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, the salary cap was $198.2 million before dropping to $182.5 million in 2021. However, from 2013 to 2020, the cap had been growing at a pace of $10.74 million a year. Now in 2024, the salary cap is roughly $255.4 million per team.
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Even with the cap rising, the NFL is becoming more and more of a player-oriented league. Players like San Fransisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and Lamb were holding out of the 2024 season until they received a lucrative contract. As of writing this story, New York Jets pass-rusher Hasson Reddick is holding out of the season until he obtains the contract he desires.
Also, the NFL is the highest-viewed major sports league in the United States. According to a 2022 Statista survey, they drew in roughly 70,000 people per game and there were more than 18.8 million people in total. With the increase in streaming platforms, more people are committed to watching football with whatever means necessary. That being said, an increase in viewership can translate to more advertisements, leading to more money.
Regardless if the salary cap continues to increase, the trend of historic contracts will continue. An increase in player empowerment, mixed with more opportunities to watch football is a nice combo. The Chiefs will take on the Cincinnati Bengals and Joe Burrow next, who also signed a historic contract in 2023.
