The Chiefs’ 2020 offseason involved taking care of their cornerstone players. Patrick Mahomes signed a then-record contract and Chris Jones inked a big-ticket deal just before the franchise tag deadline. Soon after those deals, the Chiefs gave Travis Kelce a third contract — one far less lucrative than the pacts given to his high-profile teammates.
Kelce’s four-year, $57.25M deal is just now going into the extension years. His previous contract ran through 2021. The Chiefs are moving a bit of money around to compensate their All-Pro tight end, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who notes Kelce will receive an additional $3M this year.
Moved from the back of Kelce’s backloaded contract to 2022, the $3M bump will be distributed via a $1M salary increase and a $2M bonus for being on Kansas City’s 53-man roster, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. This hikes Kelce’s 2022 pay to $10.5M. His contract runs through 2025.
Tight ends, in general, are not making money in line with their value to offenses. George Kittle‘s $15M-per-year contract tops the positional market, but it checks in behind 21 wide receiver AAV figures. Kelce also agreed to an extension low on guarantees. Kelce’s total guarantees ($23M) rank eighth among tight ends and his $21M guaranteed at signing ranks sixth.
Kelce is the only tight end in NFL history to record six straight 1,000-yard seasons. Despite this being his age-33 campaign, the 10-year veteran will almost certainly be a more important cog in this year’s Kansas City attack. The trade of Tyreek Hill ushered in a new-look Chiefs wide receiver corps, amplifying Kelce’s dependability.
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