Blaine Gabbert contract details: how much money does Chiefs’ back-up QB make?

The back-up quarterback to Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes, veteran Blaine Gabbert is unlikely to see any game time when the defending champions take on the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII this month. Mahomes has started every Chiefs postseason game since 2018, and has only twice been unable to participate in every offensive snap in a playoff clash.

“I love this sport too much”

On one of those occasions, a January 2023 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in which he briefly had to be treated for an ankle knock, the two-time Super Bowl winner spoke of his unwillingness to miss postseason action, even if injury strikes. “I’m not coming out of a playoff game unless they take me out,” he declared. “I love this sport too much. I love this game. I love playing with my teammates.”

How many games has Gabbert played for Chiefs?

Since joining the Chiefs in April, Gabbert has started just one game - the team’s final fixture of the 2023 regular season, against the Los Angeles Chargers last month. The 34-year-old was given the nod at QB after head coach Andy Reid opted to rest Mahomes for the match-up, given that Kansas City had already clinched a postseason spot and an eighth straight AFC West divisional title.

The Chiefs’ 13-12 win in Week 18 was Gabbert’s first NFL start since he began the Tennessee Titans’ defeat to the Indianapolis Colts back in December 2018.

Speaking before the Chargers game, in which he completed 15 of 30 passes, throwing for no touchdowns and one interception, the 34-year-old said: “Ultimately the reason we play football is to play in the games and it’s a great opportunity […] to get more reps under your belt. So when your number’s called, if it is called in the playoffs, we’re ready to go.”

Gabbert also got minutes this season in the second half of the Week 3 victory over the Chicago Bears - a game notable for being the first time that pop icon Taylor Swift was in the stands to watch her boyfriend, Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce.

How much does Gabbert at the Kansas City Chiefs?

Now in his 13th season in the NFL, Gabbert has a one-year contract with Kansas City. Per Spotrac, a website that specialises in calculating football players’ financial values, the $1.13m deal includes a guaranteed $1.092m, plus a signing bonus of $152,500.

Unsurprisingly, Gabbert’s Chiefs agreement is significantly less lucrative than Mahomes’ contract at Arrowhead Stadium. Twice voted NFL MVP, the 28-year-old currently boasts the most valuable contract in the league, having signed a 10-year, $450m deal with Kansas City in 2020.

According to Spotrac, that bumper contract includes a $10m signing bonus and $141.5m in guaranteed pay. In 2024, Mahomes will earn a base salary of $8.6m.

Watch - 49ers vs Chiefs: this looks familiar

The Kansas City Chiefs take on the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday 11 February 2024, with kick-off at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT. Viewers in the United States will be able to watch the game on CBS and Paramount+.

You can stream Super Bowl LVIII live on fuboTV, which offers users a free trial.

You’ll also have the option of following live-text coverage of the Super Bowl right here at AS USA. We’ll be building up to the showpiece event throughout game day, before providing you with play-by-play commentary of the 49ers vs the Chiefs.