Chiefs free up some 2026 cap space with Mahomes contract restructure

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Chiefs free up some 2026 cap space with Patrick Mahomes contract restructure

By Zachary Wolpin | Last updated Feb 18, 2026 10:12 AM ET

The 2025 season was a down year for Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.

For the first time since 2014, the team finished without double-digit wins. Additionally, a 6-11 finish was the Chiefs' worst record since 2012.

In a Week 15 loss to the Chargers, Mahomes suffered a torn ACL. It's unknown if he'll be available for the start of the 2026 season.

On Wednesday morning, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap reported that Kansas City has restructured Mahomes' contract for the 2026 season. Instead of making $78.2 million, Mahomes will earn $34.65 million. This opens up $43.56 million in cap space for the front office to work with.

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

Patrick Mahomes helps Chiefs with contract restructure

According to Fitzgerald, the Chiefs have converted $54.5 million of Mahomes' deal into a signing bonus. This helps create needed cap space for the team to bounce back in 2026. Fitzgerald also noted that this is the fourth consecutive season the Chiefs have restructured Mahomes' deal and that the QB's cap number will increase by $10.89 million over the next four years.

The average NFL contract runs for three to five years. However, Mahomes signed a surprising 10-year deal with the Chiefs in 2020. The three-time Super Bowl champion is still willing to sacrifice for the betterment of the team, though.

Zachary Wolpin

Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL writer who covers league news, trends, and daily storylines across professional sports. He has several years of experience writing about both leagues, with work published at outlets including Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAPinto South Plainfield. Wolpin is a graduate of Montclair State University, where he earned a degree in Sports Media and Writing

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