Chiefs Make First Significant Salary-Cap Move

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The first three times the Chiefs restructured the contract of Patrick Mahomes, they answered with Super Bowl berths.

But despite finishing 6-11 in 2025, Kansas City has made the same move to kick off a fourth consecutive offseason.

Per Jason Fitzgerald from Over the Cap, Kansas City created $43.56 million in salary-cap space this week. To get there, the Chiefs changed $54.45 million of the quarterback’s 2026 compensation from salary to signing bonus. The kick-the-can move has future implications, though.

“Mahomes’ salary cap number in each of the next four seasons will now rise by $10.89 million per year,” Fitzgerald wrote Wednesday morning. “His cap number for 2027 will now be over $85 million. While Mahomes is under contract to the Chiefs through 2031 it is likely that the team will look at extending him or making a major modification to his contract by 2028.”

veach hun — Feb 14, 2024; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach speaks as owner Clark Hunt and wife Tavia Hunt and play-by-play announcer Mitch Holthus listen during the celebration of the Chiefs winning Super Bowl LVIII. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Long-term plan was in place when contract conceived

Fitzgerald noted that Kansas City’s long-term plan with Mahomes included a bit of a different strategy prior to this restructure. What made the earlier moves different was shifting dollars ahead from the 2028 and 2029 years – in order to keep his compensation aligned with other league contracts.

However, the bill comes due for the Chiefs in two years.

patrick mahome — Dec 14, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) runs the ball during the second half against the Los Angeles Chargers at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

“His salary drops significantly in 2028,” Fitzgerald noted, “so another change is likely. Mahomes had signed a shocking 10-year contract extension with the Chiefs in 2020, the type of contract which had not been seen in at least 20 years and has not been seen since.”

The Chiefs and Mahomes engineered that contract, a 10-year, $450 million deal consummated in July of 2020, to make these types of adjustments. Mahomes has never shied away from requests to change the deal in order to help the Chiefs sign players they need to win.

Last year, according to Over the Cap, Mahomes altered his $47.745 million due in game checks to an accelerated bonus. That decision dropped the quarterback’s cap hit by nearly $40 million.

Next moves on chess board

After this week’s move, the Chiefs are now as estimated $11 million over the projected salary cap. The next moves they’re expected to make, in order to be in compliance with the 2026 cap by the March 11 deadline, include a similar contract restructure for All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones.

The Chiefs also are expected to release several veterans with high cap numbers, perhaps tackle Jawaan Taylor and defensive end Mike Danna. Linebacker Drue Tranquill and cornerback Kristian Fulton also could be cap casualties in the next three weeks.

The Kansas City Chiefs restructured Patrick Mahomes’ contract this week, lowering his salary cap number from $78.2 to $34.65 million for the upcoming season and creating $43.56 million in salary cap space, as @Jason_OTC reported. pic.twitter.com/2MShU1GAmq
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 18, 2026

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