The Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes once again stole fans’ hearts by demonstrating his exceptional commitment to the team, placing his personal financial gain in the NFL contract secondary to the success of his team.
After putting an end to the Super Bowl drought of the Chiefs coach Andy Reid, Mahomes chose to stay on the ground and continue to maintain the legacy of his team over maximizing his earnings. Besides his handsome appearance and phenomenal athleticism, this is another reason why many fans gush about the young star.
Patrick Mahomes Prioritizes Team Success over Money!
Amid the rumor of Patrick becoming the highest-paid player in the league, he was asked about the state of his contract following Wednesday’s OTA session. The Chiefs QB would be justified in asking for more money but he didn’t pressurize the franchise saying he worries about winning rings than financial gain.
“Me, my agent, and the team always keep open communication. We try to do whatever is best for the team. But, obviously, I want to do what’s best for myself as well. But at the same time, I’ve always said, I worry about legacy and winning rings more than making money at this moment.”
#Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes was asked about his contract and how so many other QBs have passed him:
"I worry about legacy and winning rings more than money at this moment."
"I've made enough money where I'll be set for the rest of my life."
(📽️ @Chiefs)pic.twitter.com/NWhfxcSkWr
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) May 24, 2023
The two-time MVP shared that he is also keeping an eye on the contract of other players. As asking for too much money could force his team to let go of other star players. At the end of the day, NFL is a team game and Patrick probably needs a good supporting cast if he hopes to maintain his current level of success.
“But I know we keep communication, we see what’s going on around the league. But at the same time, I’ll never do anything that’s going to hurt us from keeping the great players around me. So, it’s kind of teetering on that line.”
Why is Mahomes focusing more on the Chief’s success than his economic gain?
The promising QB signed a whopping 10-year, $450 million extension in 2020, albeit the amount already has been surpassed several times since the period as other QBs including Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson have passed him in average pay as well as Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert’s potential long-term deals can slip down the youngster further in the list.
However, the veteran star believes making financial gain can not be the only bar of success, rather he wants to keep himself enrolled in a squad of great players to grab the Super Bowl title.
“It’s not about being the highest-paid guy; it’s not about making a ton of money. I’ve made enough money where I’ll be set for the rest of my life. But at the same time, you got to find that line where you’re making a good amount of money but you’re still keeping a lot of great players around you so you can win these Super Bowls and you’re able to compete in these games,” he said.
The AP’s second-time player of the year threw for a league-leading 5,250 yards and 41 touchdowns with only 12 interceptions, and even with these phenomenal records, he aims to assist his franchise in bolstering their roster by keeping players enrolled in the roster.
“Everybody wants to get paid a lot of money. They think they’re the best at their craft, they want to get paid like that. But at the same time, if you look at the greats in the league, they found that right spot where they’re getting paid a lot of money but at the same time keeping a lot of those great players around [them],” he continued.
“So, I understand, you look at the team and you’ve got guys like Chris [Jones] and [L’Jarius] Sneed and even Travis [Kelce] — all these guys you need to keep around you to have these great teams. But at the same time, you want to make sure you’re taking care of yourself,” he further added.
In an era where athletes seem ready to leave even their long-time team for lucrative deals, Patrick is a wonderful example of teamwork and a collective pursuit of greatness. His love for Kansas City and selfless mindset elevate him as an athlete even beyond his on-field accomplishments!
