Even those who don’t follow the NFL that much probably know Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is one of, if not the biggest star in the league right now. But one question fans from other sports could make is how much he gets paid compared to other world-renowned athletes. Here, we’ll compare his salary to that of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Mahomes signed a 10-year, $450 million contract with the Chiefs in 2020, on the back of his first Super Bowl win. But with other quarterbacks eventually landing contracts for higher annual average salary, Kansas City agreed on a restructured deal with its star in September 2023.
The new contract reportedly guarantees Mahomes $210.6 million between 2023 and 2026, with the possibility of rising to $218.1m. Under this restructured deal, Mahomes’ annual average salary rose to $52.65 million. But according to Spotrac, Mahomes made a total of $59.4 million in 2023. Let’s see how that compares to Messi and Ronaldo.
Lionel Messi’s salary compared to Mahomes
If we adhere strictly to the figures provided by the MLS Players Association, Messi’s earnings may appear significantly lower compared to those of Mahomes.
According to the latest MLSPA Salary Guide released in Sep. 2023, Messi has a base salary of $12 million at Inter Miami with little more than $20.4 million in guaranteed compensation.
However, the LA Times reports that Messi’s contract with the MLS side includes deals with Adidas, Fanatics, and MLS Pass on Apple TV that ultimately sees the Argentine star make between $50m and $60m per year. That puts Leo on par with Mahomes.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s salary compared to Mahomes
Ronaldo, on the other hand, seems to be in a league of his own when it comes to making money. According to Fabrizio Romano, the Portuguese star signed a two-and-a-half year deal with Al-Nassr worth $200 million per season.
While his guaranteed soccer salary is reportedly $90 million per year, Ronaldo’s yearly earnings would rise to $200 million thanks to commercial/sponsorship deals.