Patrick Mahomes on Jalen Hurts’ massive contract: ‘He deserves it’

Last updated: 2023/04/18 at 4:59 PM

BigP Published April 18, 2023

Jalen Hurts not only became the highest-paid player in NFL history by average annual value thanks to the new contract extension with the Philadelphia Eagles that he signed on Monday, he knocked Patrick Mahomes out of the top-five earners in the league by that metric.

Hurts will earn an NFL-record $51 million per year under his extension, bumping Mahomes, who makes $45 million per year, down to sixth on the list of top current earners. But Mahomes, who led the Kansas City Chiefs to a dramatic comeback victory over Hurts and the Eagles in Super Bowl LVII, showed no resentment towards his quarterback peer when speaking to the media hours after news of Hurts’ extension broke on Monday.

“Congrats to him,” Mahomes said, per NFL Media. “He deserves it. He’s someone that plays the position the right way. He goes about his business the right way. That’s why they were in the Super Bowl, and he played a great game in the Super Bowl. He proved a lot of people wrong that were still doubting him.”

Hurts, a second-round pick by the Eagles in 2020, went 27-for-38 for 304 yards and one passing touchdown while also rushing for 70 yards and three more touchdowns in the Super Bowl, a heroic effort that fell just short as Mahomes went 21-for-27 with three passing touchdowns in the Chiefs’ 38-35 victory. Mahomes, the 2022 NFL MVP, also won his second Super Bowl MVP for his efforts.

[Jalen Hurts, Eagles agree to largest extension in NFL history]

The matchup between Mahomes and Hurts marked the first time in NFL history that two Black quarterbacks started against each other in the Super Bowl.

Jalen Hurts, Eagles agree to 5-year, $255M contract extension

The other quarterbacks currently making more annually on their contracts than Mahomes are: Aaron Rodgers ($50.27 million per year), Russell Wilson ($48.5 million per year), Kyler Murray ($46.1 million per year) and Deshaun Watson ($46 million per year), per Spotrac.

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