Patrick Mahomes 'left some on the table' on his recent mega-extension so his teammate could sign an $85 million contract
- The Kansas City Chiefs signed defensive tackle Chris Jones to a four-year, $85 million contract just days after giving Patrick Mahomes a 12-year, $500 million extension.
- Jones told reporters that Mahomes texted him to get a deal done, saying he "left some on the table" with his massive extension, which some viewed as team-friendly.
- The Chiefs are returning almost all of their starters from last year and have one the youngest, most expensive cores in football.
Patrick Mahomes may be helping the Kansas City Chiefs build a dynasty.
Mahomes and the Chiefs recently agreed to an astonishing 12-year extension that could be worth up to $500 million. The contract is a record in American sports, but a closer look reveals it may actually be a team-friendly deal, as it locks Mahomes, perhaps the NFL's best player, into a long-term deal while salaries rise exponentially.
That "team-friendly" deal may have also helped the Chiefs lock in one of their other key players: pass-rusher Chris Jones.
While speaking to reporters on Monday, Jones said Mahomes told him he "left some on the table" for Jones to get a new contract.
"I had a feeling the deal was going to get done," Jones said (via NFL Network's Nick Shook). "When Pat's deal got done ... Pat texted me and said let's get this thing done. I left some on the table, let's get this thing done. That's when I had the security that me and [the Chiefs] were going to work something out."
Mahomes expressed excitement when Jones' deal was reported.
The Chiefs had previously placed the franchise tag on Jones to keep him away from other teams.
The deal is the latest to help the Chiefs prepare for a long-term run. The Chiefs are returning 20-of-22 starters from their Super Bowl win over the San Francisco 49ers. Many of their core players are signed through 2021, and several of their starters are younger than 30.
According to ESPN, the Chiefs are the only team with three players making more than $60 million guaranteed — Mahomes, Jones, and Frank Clark.
The Chiefs' core will be costly, but it's the price of contending for Super Bowls. And apparently, Mahomes kept the bill from being even higher.
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