The biggest winner of the NFL offseason might be Patrick Mahomes‘ bank account. The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback landed the largest contract in NFL history this week when he agreed to terms on a revised contract that will add two years to his existing deal.
Thanks to the restructure, Mahomes is now playing under an eight-year, $504.75 million contract. Under the new deal, Mahomes will be making an average of $63.09 million per year, which makes him the highest-paid player in NFL history. The two-time MVP also just officially became the first NFL player to sign a contract that’s worth more than $500 million. Although that’s certainly something to brag about, Mahomes likely won’t be the first player to crack $500 million in career earnings even though he just signed a $500 million contract.
Why Mahomes likely won’t be the first player to make $500 million
The one player who will likely hit the $500 million mark before Mahomes is Matthew Stafford. The Los Angeles Rams quarterback has earned more money on the field than any other player in NFL history. In 17 seasons, Stafford has taken home $408 million, according to Over the Cap, which makes him the only player in NFL history who has crossed the $400 million mark.
If Stafford wants to hit $500 million in career earnings, he’ll have to play at least two more seasons. The reigning MVP signed a one-year, $55 million extension with the Rams this offseason and thanks to that deal, he’ll crack $500 million if he plays through 2027. Under terms of the new deal, Stafford will earn at least $45 million in 2026 and then he’ll be able to earn another $50 million if he plays in 2027, which will bring him up to $503 million. That’s right, by the end of 2027, we could see an NFL player hit a HALF BILLION in career earnings.
If you’re wondering how Stafford has made so much money, it’s for two big reasons: He’s good and he entered the NFL at the right time. Stafford was drafted in 2009, which is notable because that was two years before the NFL implemented the rookie wage scale, which limits how much a rookie can make on their first contract. With no limits in place, Stafford signed a six-year, $72 million rookie deal in 2009 after the Lions made him the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. That rookie deal paid Stafford $12 million per year, and to put that in perspective, it took until 2025 for the No. 1 overall pick to reach that number (Cam Ward’s four-year, $48.75 million rookie contract will pay him $12.19 million per year).
Stafford signed several large extensions with the Lions, and overall, he ended up earning $219 million in 12 seasons with Detroit.
In 2021, the Lions shocked the NFL and shipped Stafford to Los Angeles to play for the Rams. The biggest pay day of his career came in 2022: After he led the Rams to a win in Super Bowl LVI, the team awarded him with a four-year, $160 million extension in March 2022.
In five seasons with the Rams, Stafford has made $189 million.
Where Mahomes ranks on the all-time money list
Mahomes has been in the NFL since 2017 and in that time, he’s earned $231.9 million, which is the 15th most on the NFL’s all-time list. It’s also the seventh most on the list of active players.
Most career on-field earnings in NFL history (via Over the Cap)
Mahomes is expected to add at least $55 million in cash to his total in 2026, so he’ll be vaulting into the top 10 after this year.
If you’re looking for players who might hit the $500 million mark before Mahomes, Dak Prescott probably has the best shot outside of Stafford. The Dallas Cowboys QB is already at $295 million and he’ll be tacking on another $40 million in earnings in 2026. Prescott will have about $435 million in earnings at the end of his current deal and he has at least one more big money contract coming and possibly two.
Aaron Rodgers will be crossing the $400 million mark in 2026 with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he won’t be going much higher than that because this will likely be his final season. Kirk Cousins has done well for himself, but at 37, his best earning years are behind him and he probably won’t even end up hitting $400 million.
When you look at Jared Goff, he still has three years left on his deal and he’ll be at $399 million if he plays out all three seasons. At that point, he’d be 35 and it will be interesting to see what kind of contract he’s able to demand, but he’s certainly in line to possibly hit $500 million in career earnings.
Josh Allen ($207.4 million in career earnings) and Lamar Jackson ($187 million) could also eventually get to $500 million, but even if they do, they likely won’t pass Mahomes. If Allen plays out his current deal, which runs through 2030, he’ll be at $479 million in career earnings. Joe Burrow ($177.2 million) is another name to watch out for. If the Bengals QB stays healthy, he could end up cracking $500 million in career earnings.
Mahomes definitely has the largest contract in NFL history, but as you can see, he might not end up as the highest earner and if Stafford sticks around through 2027, the Chiefs QB definitely won’t be the first player to hit $500 million in career earnings.
