Mahomes vs Purdy: the Chiefs’ $450 million man faces the 49ers’ roommate

One is a two-time NFL MVP, a two-time Super Bowl MVP, and has two championship rings with the Kansas City Chiefs, helping him become football’s biggest star following Tom Brady’s retirement. The other was told he was “below average height,” had “mediocre arm strength” and “mediocre accuracy” when looking for colleges, and only just sneaked into NFL by the skin of his teeth in the 2022 Draft to become the San Francisco 49ers third-string quarterback. The careers of Patrick Mahomes and Brock Purdy have followed very different paths ahead of them facing off at Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday.

Few players, if any, have had a bigger impact in NFL than Mahomes since he became the Chiefs’ starting quarterback in 2018. By contrast, Purdy has had to work his way up from the very bottom, although his sensational rise through the ranks from Mr. Irrelevant to potential Super Bowl star has taken place in just two years.

How much does Patrick Mahomes earn with the Chiefs?

Perhaps the most obvious illustration of their vasty different standings in the sport - for now - lies in how much they are paid by their respective teams. In 2020, Mahomes, in his third year as starting quarterback, signed a 10-year contract extension worth $450 million, an average of $45 million per year, which varies from season to season ($57 million in 2023). In his seven seasons in the NFL, the 28 year old has already pocketed more than $136 million, not counting the advertising revenue he earns from several major brands that sponsor him.

How much does Brock Purdy earn with the 49ers?

On the other hand, while Purdy isn’t exactly on the breadline, it must be stressed, his current deal with the 49ers reflects him being the last Draft pick less than two years ago. As it stands, the 24 year old’s modest contract - by NFL standards - will make him $3,737,008 over four years, averaging out at around $900,000 per year ($870,000 in the 2023 season). For context, the minimum salary for an NFL player this year was $750,000.

Which Tom Brady record could Purdy break at Super Bowl LVIII?

While Mahomes takes up 16.9% of the Chiefs’ entire wage bill, Purdy accounts for only 0.37% of the 49ers’. Should the San Francisco franchise triumph at Super Bowl LVIII, Purdy will become the winning quarterback with the lowest cap hit in history, beating Brady’s 0.46% while with the New England Patriots in 2002.

Given his current salary, the Niners star isn’t living a life of luxury in the way you might expect (the cost of living in San Francisco is unlikely to help, either). Although that could change by 2026, the latest point at which he will sign a new contract.

As recently as last October, Purdy revealed he was sharing an apartment with teammate Nick Zakelj in an area of the city where the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is almost $3,000 a month. “He and I split the rent,” he said, before revealing that he still drives his trusty old Toyota Sequoia. Several weeks ago, Purdy agreed a national partnership with the Japanese brand, which will go some way to helping him pay the bills.