Patrick Mahomes megabucks, 10-year deal is a reminder that American sports are flush with cash – Minneapolis Star Tribune

Two times, the late Dark Star broke big news in the Twin Cities– once prior to he became a regional media figure. A discussion at a bar led him to call into a radio station to correctly mention that Bud Grant would be returning to coach the Vikings. And when Chuck Knoblauch was lobbying for a long-term contract, Dark Star wound up mediating in between Knoblauch and the Twins, leading to a five-year, $30 million agreement and a lot of inside details.

Patrick Mahomes record-breaking agreement supplied a suggestion of a few Twin Cities sports minutes.

This is a pointer that there is enough money in sports to pay for anything that sports owners desire. Games played in empty stadiums.

How would that person know, we asked? He had a connection to Jimmy Johnsons family.

Two years earlier, the Vikings signed Kirk Cousins to a three-year, $84 million contract that felt like an overreach, particularly since it was fully guaranteed and became the largest contract in NFL history in terms of average yearly worth.

The Chiefs was successful in protecting Mahomes, providing him a ridiculously high making capacity, and yet limiting the money he is guaranteed. Mahomes is the best and most valuable gamer in the richest sports league in the history of the Western Hemisphere.

This is why Cousins and his representative were shrewd in their negotiations, securing a fully-guaranteed handle a league that loves to toss hurt players aside.

Mahomes might have gotten $1 billion if the NFL Players Association were influential and as effective as the MLB Players Association. Ensured

This kind of thing has actually occurred before. I was a rookie backup beat writer covering the Cowboys for the Dallas Morning News in 1989 when a press reporter from a small radio station in Florida recommended that the Cowboys were trading their best gamer, Herschel Walker, to the Vikings.

Mahomes is the best and most valuable gamer in the richest sports league in the history of the Western Hemisphere. The story here is not that he signed a record offer. His efficiency and potential validate that.

The Chiefs was successful in securing Mahomes, giving him a ridiculously high earning capacity, and yet restricting the cash he is ensured. The specified value of the agreement is $503 million over 10 years. The closer-to-reality prospective earning total is $450 million. The completely ensured cash is just $63 million, although its highly likely hell make a lot more in warranties that kick in later– two years prior to some seasons– and would make $140M if he suffers a disastrous injury.

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The measure of any large sports contract is not whether the owner can manage it, however whether it makes good sense within the wage and payroll structure of that team and league.

The news on Mahomes 10-year, $503 million contract emerged first on the Twitter feed of a Kansas City alcohol shop staff member, who offered six bottles of Dom Perignon to Chiefs executives and correctly presumed that the event was linked to the quarterback.

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Thats. Ive been here more than 30 years. I know that Minnesotans will declare a connection to any professional athlete with a rare regional connection, even if that athlete merely drove at high speed through Luverne or Grand Portage.

For the present Vikings, Mahomes deal is a pointer that angst over large price in sports are normally short-term.

Mahomes, of course, is the kid of previous Twins pitcher Pat Mahomes. As a press reporter covering the Twins, I remember composing a 2-inch note on Mahomes leaving the team for the birth of his boy. I stopped working to anticipate that the kid would become the richest professional athlete in sports history.

Thats right– Mahomes has less fully-guaranteed cash in his 10-year offer than Cousins carried out in his first three-year Vikings contract.

After Mahomes signed the largest agreement in sports history, Cousins is … well, hes still actually, actually rich. Its simply that compared to Mahomes, hes fractionally abundant.

Mahomes, of course, is the kid of former Twins pitcher Pat Mahomes. As a reporter covering the Twins, I keep in mind writing a 2-inch note on Mahomes leaving the group for the birth of his child. And when Chuck Knoblauch was lobbying for a long-term contract, Dark Star wound up moderating in between Knoblauch and the Twins, resulting in a five-year, $30 million contract and a lot of inside information.

The story here is that even Mahomes couldnt get a totally ensured contract like Mike Trout ($ 426.5 million), Bryce Harper ($ 330 million) or Giancarlo Stanton ($ 325 million), none of whom is as dominant.

The Chiefs dealt with an issue that the Vikings never ever have: Paying what it requires to keep a young, historical, Super Bowl-winning quarterback under contract for the bulk of his career.