Who Has The Biggest Contract In The Nfl

Let’s be honest: when you hear someone in the NFL has a “monster contract,” you picture them hoarding gold like a dragon, not running routes. The question of who holds the biggest contract in the league sounds simple, but it’s actually a wild rollercoaster of guaranteed cash, void years, and accounting tricks that would make a mob accountant blush. So, grab your overpriced stadium beer and settle in—we’re about to figure out who’s sitting on the fattest pile of guaranteed paper.

The Current King of the Mountain: Patrick Mahomes

Right now, the contract that makes agents weep with envy belongs to Patrick Mahomes. Back in 2020, he signed a 10-year extension worth a staggering $450 million—a number so absurd it sounds like the budget for a small country. But here’s the kicker: that deal was immediately called “underwater” by some experts because the salary cap exploded like a college kid’s washing machine.

By the time you read this, Mahomes has likely restructured his contract three times, pushing money into future decades where we’ll all be driving flying cars. The beauty of his deal is that it’s packed with rolling guarantees—essentially, the Chiefs promise him money, then promise again, then promise a third time for good measure. It’s like getting a “yes” from a very rich, very indecisive date.

The Sneaky Competitor: Deshaun Watson

If Mahomes is the king, Deshaun Watson is the court jester who somehow inherited the royal treasury. In 2022, the Cleveland Browns gave him a fully guaranteed 5-year, $230 million contract. “Fully guaranteed” means that even if Watson decided to retire tomorrow to become a professional cheese taster, the Browns have to pay him every single penny.

This contract was a seismic event. It made every other quarterback agent scream, “See? That’s how you do it!” and caused general managers across the league to clutch their pearls so hard they cracked. Watson’s deal is the financial equivalent of betting your entire 401(k) on a single, unpredictable hand of poker—and somehow, the casino (the Browns) agreed to it.

But Wait—What About “Biggest” vs. “Most Money Upfront”?

Here’s where it gets tricky. The total value of a contract is often a mirage. For example, Jalen Hurts signed a contract worth $255 million, but it’s actually a masterclass in “future funny money.” The Eagles stuffed the deal with “void years” that push the cap hit to 2035, when robots will probably be playing quarterback anyway.

If we look at actual cash in the bank, the winner is often Joe Burrow. His 2023 extension has a $55 million signing bonus—the largest single cash payment in NFL history. That’s enough cash to buy a small island, or, you know, a really nice yacht and a lifetime supply of Gatorade.

Patrick Mahomes boasts the NFL's biggest contract and will earn a

The Surprising Upstart: Justin Herbert

In 2023, Justin Herbert signed a 5-year, $262.5 million contract with a record-setting $193.7 million in practical guarantees. That number is so specific it looks like a typo. It’s like the Chargers said, “Let’s give him exactly one trillion dollars, but in small, weird increments.”

Herbert’s deal is packed with escalators that pay him extra if he wins MVP (he hasn’t yet) or if he simply looks good on a football field (which he does). It’s a contract built for a statue arm, but it also proves that the NFL’s financial landscape changes faster than a quarterback’s audible at the line of scrimmage.

The Joke That Keeps Giving: Dak Prescott’s No-Trade Clause

Let’s not forget Dak Prescott. His $160 million contract extension in 2021 seemed huge, but the real teeth is the no-trade and no-franchise tag clause. That means Dak essentially holds the Cowboys hostage. If Jerry Jones tries to trade him for a bag of Doritos and a draft pick, Dak can just laugh and say, “Nope.”

Prescott’s deal is the financial equivalent of a “get out of jail free” card, but it’s printed on solid gold. It’s also hilarious because the contract is structured so that if the Cowboys cut him, they owe him a billion dollars in dead cap—well, okay, it’s $65 million, but still.

Biggest NFL Contracts in 2024 - YouTube

The Future Dark Horse: Who’s About to Break the Bank?

The real answer to “who has the biggest contract” is a moving target. In 2024, Trevor Lawrence and C.J. Stroud are both lurking in the shadows, waiting to sign deals that will make Mahomes’ contract look like a student loan. The NFL salary cap is projected to hit $280 million soon, which means the next monster contract could be $600 million.

Imagine a quarterback signing a deal that buys a whole country. That’s where we’re headed. At this rate, by 2030, the average NFL contract will be paid in Bitcoin and delivered via drone by a robot named “Agent Zero.”

So, Who Really Wins?

The answer is simple: nobody wins except the player’s great-great-grandchildren. The biggest contract is a race to the bottom of a very deep money pit. Mahomes has the headline number, Watson has the guarantee, and Herbert has the weirdest math. But the real winner is the person reading this article, who doesn’t have to pay a single cent of that cap hit.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go buy a lottery ticket. If Patrick Mahomes can get $450 million for throwing a pigskin, imagine what a famous cat influencer could make. Meow.