They say a dynasty is built on the field. But keeping one alive could require a spreadsheet. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is doing his part for the team again with a compromise worth millions.

“The Kansas City Chiefs converted $54.45 million of QB Patrick Mahomes’ 2026 salary into a signing bonus to create some much needed cap room for the Chiefs,” writes Jason Fitzgerald, founder of Over The Cap.

“The move lowered Mahomes’ salary cap number from $78.2 to $34.65 million for 2026, opening up $43.56 million in cap room for the Chiefs,” explained Fitzgerald. “This will be the fourth straight year that the Chiefs have restructured Mahomes’ contract to improve their salary cap situation.”

KC entered this offseason in the worst cap position in the NFL. According to Over The Cap, the Chiefs were projected to be more than $54 million over the base salary cap of $303.5 million, dead last in the NFL. The restructure was inevitable.

Frankly, it has worked before. Last March, Mahomes’ restructure, paired with that of defensive tackle Chris Jones, freed up $49.4 million in cap space. The Chiefs got a breather and locked down free agents like O-lineman Jaylon Moore and cornerback Kristian Fulton.

News served to you like never before!

Prefer us on Google, To get latest news on feed

Prefer Us on Google

This year, the math was even more brutal. Mahomes alone was set to consume $78.2 million. Chris Jones wasn’t far behind at $44.8 million. Two stars posed one staggering problem for the team. But Mahomes’ restructure also causes a problem down the line.

“Mahomes’ salary cap number in each of the next four seasons will now rise by $10.89 million per year,” explained Fitzgerald. “His cap number for 2027 will now be over $85 million.”

At the moment, KC isn’t solving its cap problem, it’s financing it. Each restructure converts present-day salary into future dead cap, and the bill keeps growing. Mahomes’ staggering $450 million extension, signed back in July 2020, has created a butterfly effect for which the Chiefs are still paying the price.

Unfortunately, the borrowing isn’t done. Even after this latest move, KC remains approximately $11 million over the cap. This opens the door to another restructure for Chris Jones as well.

The Chiefs’ salary architecture has always been a high-wire act: keep Mahomes, keep the core, and manufacture room to build around them. General manager Brett Veach has threaded that needle before. But with Mahomes’ 2027 number set to dwarf nearly every contract in the league, the problem has just shifted to next year again.

But while the front office battles spreadsheets and cap headaches among looming roster cuts, a far more emotional storyline is building outside the building. The kind that sparks highlight-reel memories and reunion nostalgia.

Tyreek Hill’s homecoming prospect

The Miami Dolphins made headlines when they decided to part ways with their 8x Pro Bowler. Miami’s own cap headaches and Tyreek Hill’s season-ending ACL injury left them with no choice. But when the news broke, the reaction in Kansas City was immediate. Chris Jones took to social media recruiting his former teammate back. Even ESPN’s Steven A. Smith chimed in with a strong sales pitch of his own on First Take.

“He should be targeting going back to Kansas City, he should want to go back and play with Patrick Mahomes because he is desperately needed,” Smith said. “I don’t care that you got [Xavier] Worthy and [Rashee] Rice, they ain’t Tyreek Hill. They’re good, but I’m telling you right now, Tyreek Hill out there is something to behold when healthy.

Tyreek Hill himself has teased a Chiefs homecoming multiple times over the years. The reunion has obvious appeal. Hill’s 479 career receptions, 6,630 yards, and 56 touchdowns as a Chief had made him one of Mahomes’ most dangerous weapons. With Mahomes rehabbing from an ACL & LCL injury himself, he needs tried and tested targets. But the hurdles are real, too.

Hill’s dislocated knee and multiple torn ligaments pose a significant problem for the Chiefs. About to be 32 in March, with no clear return timeline, adding Hill to a cap-strapped roster is more like a calculated gamble rather than a guaranteed fix.

The Chiefs just restructured their franchise quarterback to survive. Whether they can afford (financially and physically) to bring back the Cheetah could define how serious this dynasty’s next chapter is. But for now, we wait for the next roster move that frees up more cap.