Patrick Mahomes addresses $45,000,000 consideration over escalating QB salaries - “It’s about finding balance”

When Patrick Mahomes signed his richest contract extension of $450 million in 2020, not many believed that no one would be talking about a new contract for close to a decade. However, after winning another Super Bowl, some think the "measly" ten-year deal looks weak. NFL insider Peter King revealed on 'NFL on NBC' what the Chiefs quarterback said about getting a new deal:

“You want to keep the quarterback position and the rest of the skill groups, that salary cap moving. But I want to have a great team around me too. I think it’s just about finding that balance throughout your career and knowing when you need to push it and when you need to get those great players around you so you can win those Super Bowls.”

Based on the phrasing, it appears that he is admitting that at some points, he will go for the jugular, and at others, he will cut the team some slack. It implies he can evaluate the team's current roster makeup and where they're going.

Where does Patrick Mahomes rank among the highest-paid QBs in the NFL in 2023?

Patrick Mahomes at Kansas City Chiefs Training Camp

How much money is Patrick Mahomes currently making, and how does that already compare to the rest of the league following the big-time contracts nailed down by other players since Mahomes' deal? It depends on a few metrics.

If one looks simply at the overall size of the deal, Mahomes almost doubles the next-closest player in the league. Mahomes is playing on a deal worth $450 million, while Justin Herbert is on a deal worth $262 million. However, the average cost per year is ranked much lower.

Herbert leads the league in this category, according to Spotrac. He's making $52.5 million per season on average. The Chiefs quarterback ranks seventh overall in terms of dollars per season on average and just third in the AFC West. Russell Wilson, who threw for 15 touchdowns and 11 interceptions last year, is making about $48.5 million.

Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, Kyler Murray, and Deshaun Watson are all making more per season on average in 2023. In addition to Herbert and Wilson, all four quarterbacks have secured their deals since Mahomes' latest deal, prompting questions about what the Super Bowl-winning quarterback should be making.