The Kansas City Chiefs were an average team for many years. It was not until the arrival of Patrick Mahomes in 2017, and his promotion to the starting role the following season, that the franchise experienced a true rebirth. From that moment to the present, they have become perennial contenders.
Except for the 2025 season, which was filled with injured and suspended players, every previous year had been enormously successful and outstanding. And with the lessons learned from last year, they are doing everything necessary to return to elite competition.
With that in mind, the Chiefs and their quarterback have done something that speaks to the stature of their superstar. He decided to restructure his contract to free up funds for the team so they could attract talent and help the franchise compete for another Super Bowl.
The great jewel that is Patrick Mahomes
When success arrives, quarterbacks typically seek better contracts, and that directly impacts the team’s salary cap, often to the detriment of the roster.
In Mahomes’ case, he signed a 10-year, $450 million contract extension in 2022. Since then, he has reached three Super Bowls and won two of them back-to-back.
The Chiefs’ signal-caller chose to support the franchise by restructuring his deal, freeing up $54.4 million from his 2026 salary and converting it into a signing bonus. He previously had the second-highest cap hit among players at his position, trailing only Deshaun Watson.
Now, with this restructuring, Mahomes has dropped to the 14th position, which will allow the Chiefs to enter free agency and negotiate with players who can help rebuild the roster and fill the gaps needed to return to the top.
Although this is a temporary solution, the impact will be felt in 2027, when his cap figure will rise to $85.2 million, once again placing him second in that financial category, only behind Kirk Cousins.
This appears to be an immediate fix for a franchise that hopes to find the best way out of the situation by 2027, ensuring enough cap space to build a competitive team that helps Mahomes keep the organization among the league’s elite.
For now, the quarterback’s gesture ahead of the 2026 season deserves recognition, and next year the team will look for another way to adjust the numbers so the roster can remain competitive across every position group.
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