Three years ago, Pat Mahomes and Deshaun Watson were in the same conversation regarding naming the NFL’s best quarterbacks.
Mahomes, who already owns two Super Bowl rings and has played in three, had his contract restructured this week and is the NFL’s highest-paid player, as he should be.
Mahomes will receive $210.6 million over the next four seasons (2023-26), which is reportedly the most money ever for a player over four years. He can reportedly earn up to $218.6 million by the time his restructured agreement ends in 2026.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is in his future, and we’d all be surprised if he didn’t win at least one more Super Bowl.
That’s not the case for Watson.
Watson, also one of the NFL’s highest-paid players, has regressed. He’s no longer an elite quarterback. He’s not even a Top 20 quarterback.
These days, he’s just a guy.
Watson, in the second year of the fully guaranteed $230 million contract, completed 22 of 40 passes for 235 yards with a touchdown and an interception in a 26-22 loss to Pittsburgh on Monday night.
“Still coming along. I feel like, tonight, it was (expletive) as far as that. There are some plays that we capitalized on, and we did good, but as far as my part, it’s not good enough. I put that on me, “ Watson told reporters. “The first play, yeah, we can get into the tactics of receiver running out and putting the ball out, and this, that, and the third, but I got to give him a better ball.
“The forced fumble for a touchdown for them. We can say, ‘This guy can do this,’ but I’ve got to protect the ball. We’re not going to put it on anyone else. You put it on me. I can take the full blame, I can take the criticism, and I’m going to do that.”
Patrick Mahomes setting the QB standard
The Chiefs felt compelled to rework Mahomes deal because there’s no way seven quarterbacks, including four this year, with new deals should have surpassed Mahomes’ contract.
After all, he’s the standard.
Mahomes originally signed a 10-year contract with the Chiefs in 2020 worth $477 million and had another $26 million in bonuses, bringing the possible total value to $503 million.
Mahomes is the NFL’s best quarterback, and there’s no close second. He’s a two-time MVP and champion.
He hasn’t even reached his prime, and his resume stands alone.
He led the league in passing (5,250 yards) and passing touchdowns (41), finishing second in passer rating by just 0.3 points (105.2) last year.
Mahomes led Kansas City to its first win Sunday, but the Chiefs have scored just 37 points in two games.
“It’s hard for us to see, for everyone to see because we’ve been such a prolific offense for so long, and we’ve started fast,” Mahomes told reporters. “But if you don’t execute at a high level in this league, you’re not going to have success. You’re not going to score touchdowns and have sustained drives. That’s stuff we have to get better at.”
Deshaun Watson’s road to greatness hit speed bump
Watson seemed on the same path to greatness as Mahomes when he derailed it himself.
In the first 54 games of his career, Watson completed 68.8 percent of his passes for 269.2 yards per game with 104 touchdowns and 36 interceptions. He had a passer rating of 104.5.
After sitting out all of 2021 and serving an 11-game suspension following sexual assault allegations, Watson played only six games. He struggled.
The Browns hoped it was just an adjustment to the game, but his struggles have lingered into this season.
The game is about the quarterback, and if Watson doesn’t improve before the season ends, then Cleveland must seriously consider moving on.
Jean-Jacques Taylor is an NFL Insider for Sportsnaut and the author of the upcoming book “Coach Prime“, with Deion Sanders. Follow him on Twitter.