In the NFL, you’d think the cream of the crop would always cash the biggest checks-and often they do, especially when it comes to quarterbacks. Take Patrick Mahomes, who inked a 10-year, $450 million pact with the Kansas City Chiefs, or Josh Allen, who’s raking in $330 million from the Buffalo Bills. Since 2018, when both stepped into starting roles, their teams have dominated the win column, with the Chiefs piling up 90 wins, the Ravens 78, and the Bills 77, making them the league’s winningest teams. Allen is still chasing that elusive Super Bowl, that Mahomes has denied him, but anyone who’s been paying attention knows he’s been sharpening his game year after year. He’s the engine behind Buffalo’s six straight 10-win seasons and five consecutive division crowns. Yet while star quarterbacks often dominate the payroll, the Chiefs are flexing a different kind of financial muscle, with three players topping the guaranteed money charts at their spots-a rare feat in today’s NFL.
Chiefs Dominate in Guaranteed Cash
Behind the scenes, Chris Shea, the Chiefs contract negotiator and salary cap maestro, is working overtime at the team’s practice facility. His latest mission? Securing Pro Bowl guard Trey Smith, who’s currently set for a one-year, $23.4 million franchise tag in 2025. But the Chiefs already stand alone in a fascinating statistic: They have three players with the most guaranteed money at their positions-defensive tackle Chris Jones, center Creed Humphrey, and kicker Harrison Butker. No other team has more than one. If Shea and company seal a long-term deal with Smith by July 15, he could pass Atlanta’s Chris Lindstrom ($21.8 million average) and Carolina’s Robert Hunt ($63 million guaranteed) for the guard throne.
Jones and Butker, meanwhile, are more than just big earners – they are at the heart of Kansas City’s triumphs. Along with Mahomes, Travis Kelce and coach Andy Reid, these captains and local icons have been instrumental in building a championship culture. These five guys are the only ones on the team since 2017, so yes, when history is written about this Chiefs dynasty, these five names will be mentioned with Steve Spagnuolo in the mix as he arrived in 2019.
Mahomes Outshines the QB Pay Scale
Let’s zoom out to the quarterback market, where the numbers can be mind-boggling. The top six highest-paid QBs by average annual value-Dak Prescott, Jordan Love, Trevor Lawrence, Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, and Tua Tagovailoa-have combined for 16 playoff wins. Mahomes? He’s got 17 all by himself, yet he ranks 14th in average salary. It’s a wild stat that exposes how bloated the QB market has become, and suggests that regular-season flash might trump postseason grit when it comes time to sign checks. But the Chiefs don’t sweat it-they’re too busy cementing a dynasty.
Three straight Super Bowl trips and five in the last six years? That’s uncharted territory in NFL history. Mahomes’ contract may not top the annual charts, but it’s a marathon, not a sprint. At 28, with his contract stretching to age 36, he’s poised to eclipse the likes of Matthew Stafford ($391 million earned), Aaron Rodgers ($380 million) and Tom Brady ($332 million) as the league’s all-time money king-if he stays healthy and keeps piling up the wins.
As for Travis, his contract value ranks 11th among tight ends, a far cry from the recent 76M signed by Trey McBride and the 75M by George Kittle. But it is more understandable with him because he is the oldest on the roster at 34 and only has one year left on a 34M contract with 17M guaranteed. Plus, next season will most likely be his last dance with the Chiefs.
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