What a time to be alive. It seems like every day a new NFL superstar inks his signature on a huge sports deal that’ll make him one of the wealthiest people on earth. Well, that may be a bit of a stretch but they’ll definitely make way more money than they ever imagined.
Salary caps keep rising, TV and endorsement deals keep piling up, which means sports franchises are making billions and, obviously, their playersare second in line when it comes to cashing a huge check.
So, after taking a look at Patrick Mahomes’ massive deal with the Kansas City Chiefs, we can be sure that it’s just a matter of time before the next star tops his numbers, regardless of if he deserves that much money or not. That’s why today, we’re going to let you know about the top 5 biggest contracts in NFL history:
5. Andrew Luck – 6 years, $139M
Luck entered the league in 2012. (Getty)
Andrew Luck broke millions of hearts when he suddenly announced his retirement from the NFL weeks after the start of last year’s regular season, especially considering how invested the Indianapolis Colts were on him as their cornerstone for the future.
The former 1st overall pick had proved his worth as a dual-threat quarterback during his time in the league, thus the team signed him to a huge 6-year extension in 2016. Sadly, injuries riddled his career and his desire to stay in the gridiron.
4. Russell Wilson – 4 years, $140M
Wilson is a 7-time Pro-Bowler. (Getty)
It didn’t take long before Russell Wilson took his place as one of the league’s top-tier quarterbacks. The former 75th overall pick proved his doubters wrong and led the Seattle Seahawks to a couple of Super Bowls, winning one of them.
Wilson set the standardfor dual-threat quarterbacks in the league right now. He’s mobile, agile, durable, and is a master at making plays out of nothing. That’s why the Seahawks inked him to a deal that got him $35 million a year.
3. Khalil Mack – 6 years, $141M
The Raiders traded Mack to the Bears in 2018. (Getty)
Khalil Mack is the only player that’s not a quarterback on this list. That’s just how incredibly good and dominant he is. He’s the highest-paid defender in the history of football and by a very long stretch.
Mack is a game-changer. He’s the kind of guy every franchise on earth would die for, and the Bears want him anchoring their defense for many more years to come. Thus, they’re paying him $23.5 million a year.
2. Matt Ryan – 5 years, $150M
Ryan was the 3rd overall pick in 2008. (Getty)
Matt Ryan is constantly among the league’s leaders in passing yards, rating, passing touchdowns, and completions, even though there are still some questions about his ability to lead a winning football team.
The Falcons were pretty sold on him after his MVP season and had no doubt on their minds that ‘Matty Ice’ was their guy going forward. They’re paying him $30 million a year, a move many people questioned at the time.
1. Patrick Mahomes – 10 years, $477M
His dadwas an MLB pitcher and made slightly over $2M over an 11-year career. (Getty)
Is it crazy to say that a guy that’s about to get half a billion dollars isn’t overpaid? Well, that’s just how good Patrick Mahomes is. It seems like no number is too high for him as he has a legit shot at ending up being the greatest quarterback of all time. That’s why no one is criticizing this deal, which could gethim as much as $503 million with bonuses.
Mahomes has been in the league since 2017. He alreadyled the league in passing touchdowns, has 76 career touchdowns,9,412 passing yards, 2 Pro-Bowl selections, 1 MVP, 1 Offensive Player of the Year award, 1 Super Bowl, and 1 Super Bowl MVP. He’s just 24 years old and salary cap numbers are always going to keep rising. Believe it or not, the Chiefs got a bargain.
