Do Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen deserve to be the NFL's highest-paid players?
If the blockbuster contract extension of the offseason belonged to Patrick Mahomes last year, this season's honor belongs to Josh Allen.
Patrick Mahomes received a 10-year contract worth $450 million, rising up to $475 million with incentives. It is the largest deal ever signed in professional US sports history.
However, in terms of guaranteed money, Josh Allen goes one better with his six-year contract worth $258 million, which goes up to $288 million with incentives. Of that, nearly $150 million is guaranteed; $100 million of it was guaranteed when Allen put pen to paper.
But do Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen deserve their deals? Have they justified their positions enough to have the two biggest contracts in the league?
The case for Patrick Mahomes and against Josh Allen
Why Patrick Mahomes deserves his deal
Patrick Mahomes was drafted into the NFL in 2018 and spent his first year at the Kansas City Chiefs as a backup to Alex Smith. The next year, he cemented his place as a rising star when he threw for more than 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns for only the second time in league history. He was crowned league MVP as well as NFL Offensive Player of the Year on the back of those numbers.
His second year in 2019 brought him continued success. He won the Kansas City Chiefs their first Super Bowl since 1970 and was declared Super Bowl LIV MVP.
His third season continued in the same vein, with the superstar QB finding a rich vein of form to guide the Kansas City Chiefs to another Super Bowl. However, he suffered a chastening defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who were led by Tom Brady.
In his three starting seasons in the NFL, Patrick Mahomes has been league MVP, Super Bowl MVP, Super Bowl winner and Super Bowl runner-up. Is the size of his humongous contract any surprise?
Did the Buffalo Bills jump the gun in rewarding Josh Allen with a stratospheric deal?
The case for Josh Allen, on the other hand, is not quite so clear. He joined the Buffalo Bills in 2018. Since then he has been a good quarterback, reaching elite QB figures only last season.
Even last season, when he broke franchise records for the most passing yards and touchdowns in a single season, he was not declared league MVP as Aaron Rodgers was a level above him. He also did not reach the level Patrick Mahomes did in 2018.
Individually, the most he has achieved is a Pro Bowl and All-Pro selection in 2020. He also faced defeat in his first AFC Championship game opposite the Kansas City Chiefs.
With his record, it's a touch surprising that the Buffalo Bills elected to hand him more guaranteed money than the Kansas City Chiefs did to Mayhem Mahomes.
That's not to say that Josh Allen doesn't have the potential to surpass Patrick Mahomes on the field one day. That day, though, is yet to come.
Also Read: Who is Patrick Mahomes' girlfriend, Brittany Matthews?