Chiefs Restructure Patrick Mahomes' Contract to Ease Salary Cap Crunch

The move clears over $43 million in cap space for the 2026 season.

Feb. 25, 2026 at 6:07pm

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The Kansas City Chiefs have restructured quarterback Patrick Mahomes' contract, converting $54.45 million of his 2026 salary into a signing bonus. This move clears approximately $43.56 million in salary cap space for the team ahead of the 2026 offseason.

Why it matters

The Chiefs were projected to be nearly $60 million over the NFL's estimated $303 million salary cap before the restructure. This adjustment gives the team more flexibility to manage their roster and make moves in free agency.

The details

According to reports, the Chiefs converted a large portion of Mahomes' 2026 salary into a signing bonus, which spreads the cap hit over the remaining years of his contract. This frees up significant cap space for the team this year, though Mahomes' future cap numbers may increase as a result.

  • The Chiefs made the contract restructure on February 19, 2026.

The players

Patrick Mahomes

The star quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs, currently in the middle of a 10-year contract that runs through 2032.

Chris Jones

The Chiefs' star defensive tackle, whose contract is scheduled to pay him $19 million, $28.25 million and $35 million over the next three seasons.

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What’s next

The Chiefs may explore changes to defensive tackle Chris Jones' contract in order to create additional cap space.

The takeaway

This contract restructure for Patrick Mahomes demonstrates the Chiefs' commitment to keeping their star quarterback and building a competitive roster around him, despite the challenges of the NFL's salary cap system.