Patrick Mahomes may be helping the Kansas City Chiefs build a dynasty.
Mahomes and the Chiefs recently agreed to an astonishing 12-year extension that could be worth up to $500 million. The contract is a record in American sports, but a closer look reveals it may actually be a team-friendly deal, as it locks Mahomes, perhaps the NFL's best player, into a long-term deal while salaries rise exponentially.
That "team-friendly" deal may have also helped the Chiefs lock in one of their other key players: pass-rusher Chris Jones.
Jones and the Chiefs agreed to a four-year, contract worth up to $85 million, keeping the team's sacks leader from 2019 with the team for the next several years.
While speaking to reporters on Monday, Jones said Mahomes told him he "left some on the table" for Jones to get a new contract.
"I had a feeling the deal was going to get done," Jones said (via NFL Network's Nick Shook). "When Pat's deal got done ... Pat texted me and said let's get this thing done. I left some on the table, let's get this thing done. That's when I had the security that me and [the Chiefs] were going to work something out."
Mahomes expressed excitement when Jones' deal was reported.
—Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) July 14, 2020
The Chiefs had previously placed the franchise tag on Jones to keep him away from other teams.
The deal is the latest to help the Chiefs prepare for a long-term run. The Chiefs are returning 20-of-22 starters from their Super Bowl win over the San Francisco 49ers. Many of their core players are signed through 2021, and several of their starters are younger than 30.
—Braiden Turner (@bturner23) July 14, 2020
According to ESPN, the Chiefs are the only team with three players making more than $60 million guaranteed — Mahomes, Jones, and Frank Clark.
The Chiefs' core will be costly, but it's the price of contending for Super Bowls. And apparently, Mahomes kept the bill from being even higher.
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