Patrick Mahomes: I Want to Handle Chiefs Contract Extension 'The Smart Way'

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said he wants to remain with the organization for a "very long time" but will handle discussions about a contract extension the "smart way."

Mahomes discussed his future in K.C. with Terez Paylor of Yahoo Sports in an interview released Wednesday:

"When you look back on your career at the end of your career, you want to look back and see a lot of success, a lot of wins, a lot of Super Bowl wins hopefully—it's something where I want to look back and see a lot of success. Obviously I want to get a contract, obviously I want to provide for my family for a long time and do everything like that.

"But I want to make sure I do it the smart way and do it the right way, and so I don't know exactly which way that is, yet. I know that my people and the Chiefs' people will talk about it, and will do it at the right time and for the betterment for the team. But I'm excited to be a Kansas City Chief for a very long time, and I know that's going to be handled the right way because of the people the Kansas City Chiefs have in their organization."

Mahomes was named the NFL's Most Valuable Player in 2018 after he threw for 5,097 yards and 50 touchdowns. He couldn't match those numbers in 2019, tallying 4,031 yards and 26 TDs in 14 games, but he capped the campaign by leading the Chiefs to a Super Bowl LIV victory over the San Francisco 49ers.

The 24-year-old Texas Tech product is quickly becoming one of the league's most decorated players, and his next contract, whether it's from the Chiefs or another team, is almost guaranteed to set records.

Jeff Diamond of Sporting News, who was named the NFL Executive of the Year in 1998 while vice president of the Minnesota Vikings, predicted in February the quarterback could receive a five-year, $220 million extension that could carry incentives for individual success (MVP or Pro Bowl) or Super Bowl titles.

The Chiefs have time to work out a new deal. Mahomes will be one of the biggest bargains in all of sports in 2020 with a cap hit of just $5.2 million, and they can exercise the fifth-year option in his rookie contract for 2021 if an extension still isn't in place.

Kansas City general manager Brett Veach expressed confidence on PFT Live last month that an agreement will be reached, but he didn't provide a timetable:

"I think the cool thing about Pat and his agent is they realize he's gonna make a lot of money, no one operates in the sense of taking the extreme team discount, but Pat is also very cognizant of wanting to be in a place like Kansas City and win a lot of Super Bowls. There are some things to help the team to make sure there's always talent around him. It'll take time, it'll get done."

Mahomes told Paylor there's no reason for Chiefs fans to get concerned about his future.

"Just know that we're gonna try to win every single year," he said. "Whichever way possible, we're going to do it, and we're gonna try to keep as many people on this team as we possibly can that won the Super Bowl this year so we can run it back again next year."

Between the remainder of his rookie deal and potential franchise tags, Mahomes is still a handful of years from hitting free agency.

The Chiefs will likely sign him to a lucrative long-term contract before he comes anywhere close to the open market.