Off-field earnings push Patrick Mahomes into top 20 of world’s highest-paid athletes
The San Francisco 49ers last week gave quarterback Brock Purdy a huge five-year contract extension worth $265 million, and many people were talking about .... the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes.
Yep, Over The Cap said Mahomes has the 14th-highest average salary per year among NFL quarterbacks.
The good news for Mahomes is he is still being paid handsomely by the Chiefs, and he’s also making a lot of money away from the field. Those endorsement deals are a big reason why Mahomes is ranked as the 18th highest-paid athlete in the world by Forbes.
Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo is No. 1 at $275 million in earnings, followed by Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry ($156 million), boxing’s Tyson Fury ($146 million), the Cowboys’ Dak Prescott ($137 million) and Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi ($135 million).
Mahomes’ overall earnings were calculated to be $86.8 million by Forbes, the third-highest for an NFL player behind Dak Prescott and the Browns’ Deshaun Watson ($91.8 million).
The incomes were tracked between May 1, 2024, and May 1, 2025, said Forbes, which listed the top 50 highest-paid athletes.
“The off-field earnings figures are an estimate of sponsorship deals, appearance fees and memorabilia and licensing income for all 12 months leading to May 1, 2025, plus cash returns from any businesses in which the athlete has a significant interest,” Forbes wrote.
No NFL player on Forbes’ list comes close to touching Mahomes’ off-field-earnings, which were calculated to be $28 million. Tied for second were Prescott and Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert ($10 million each).
Mahomes is seen frequently in television commercials as he has deals with State Farm, T-Mobile, Head & Shoulders, Adidas, Subway, Oakley and CommunityAmerica Credit Union.
Additionally, Mahomes is part of a franchise group that owns multiple Whataburger locations in Kansas City. He also has stakes in ownership groups of the Royals, Current and Sporting Kansas City.
This story was originally published May 23, 2025 at 9:40 AM with the headline "Off-field earnings push Patrick Mahomes into top 20 of world’s highest-paid athletes."
