The Kansas City Chiefs made sure two of the most important pieces of their roster remain central to their plans for the 2026 season. QB Patrick Mahomes and TE Travis Kelce are entering another year together, giving Kansas City continuity at quarterback and tight end as it looks to return to championship contention.
Mahomes remains the foundation of the franchise despite his recovery from ACL and LCL injuries, while Kelce is back for another campaign despite entering the latter stages of his career. The Chiefs have also had to navigate the financial realities of keeping two of their biggest stars under contract while continuing to build a roster around them.
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Chiefs assistant general manager Chris Shea recently revealed that Kansas City used uncommon contract mechanisms to manage Kelce’s salary-cap impact while maintaining flexibility for the future.
“Different teams have different philosophies. Generally, we have pretty simple, straightforward deals. We used some tools in the toolbox that we don’t dust off very often to spread his cap hit over future years… With Travis, we used some things we wouldn’t normally otherwise think about” (h/t Charles Goldman of A to Z Sports).
Kelce’s contract was reworked this offseason after he agreed to return for the 2026 season. The move allows the Chiefs to retain the veteran tight end while managing his financial impact across future years.
Shea also addressed the team’s approach to Mahomes’s contract, emphasizing the value of having long-term certainty at the game’s most important position.
“He’s an elite player and an even better person… Obviously, he is the highest-paid player in the league. He’s earned that, and we have a plan to manage around it… Certainty at QB allows us to plan and allocate for the future.”
Mahomes signed a record-setting contract extension in 2020. He agreed to a reworked contract in June 2026 that added two years to his existing deal and will keep him in Kansas City through the 2033 season. The agreement is worth $504.75 million from 2026 through 2033, including $239.05 million in new money, making it the first NFL contract valued at more than $500 million.
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Andy Reid has once again been given the opportunity to continue working with two of the best players at their respective positions. The veteran head coach will try to make the most of it when the regular season resumes in September.
