After Ryan Tannehill’s massive deal, speculation begins on Patrick Mahomes’ contract
Not long after NFL players ratified a new collective-bargaining agreement on Saturday came news that the Titans had agreed to a new contract with quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
The reported terms were eye-popping: four years and $118 million with $91 million guaranteed, per ESPN’s Jeff Darlington.
In 10 games last season with the Titans, Tannehill and led the NFL with a 117.5 quarterback rating and in yards per completion (13.5).
Tannehill helped the Titans win two playoff games advance to the AFC Championship Game, where they lost 35-24 to the Chiefs and quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Mahomes, who added a Super Bowl MVP to his NFL MVP award in two seasons as a starter, has one year remaining on his rookie contract. With Tannehill’s haul, NFL writers and fans wondered what Mahomes might get in his next deal with the Chiefs.
Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post believes Mahomes will set the benchmark for quarterbacks.
“With the new CBA in place and a colossal television deal on tap, quarterback salaries are going to skyrocket. If Tannehill can parlay 13 excellent games into $29.5 million per season, imagine what Patrick Mahomes is going to pull,” Kilgore wrote. “Once Mahomes signs his extension with the Kansas City Chiefs, it will raise the level of every new deal. Other quarterbacks may not pass Mahomes, but his contract will be used as a benchmark.”
Former Chiefs offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz, who writes for SB Nation, tweeted this guess on Mahomes’ contract:
Mike Freeman, a Bleacher Report NFL columnist, joked:
Damon Salvadore, a member of the Pro Football Writers of America, took it a bit further:
Las Vegas Review Journal Raiders reporter Myles Simmons tweeted simply:
Andrew Mason, who writes about the Broncos for DNVR_Sports, tweeted:
Former Chiefs offensive lineman Jeff Allen wrote:
Fans also had chimed in:
This story was originally published March 16, 2020 at 9:06 AM.
