Super Bowl Domination

Chapter 951 Weighing the Importance
Mahomes was amused by the confidence revealed in Levi's words, "The ads of half of the players in the league combined are not as good as yours alone."

Li Wei spread his hands as if it was a matter of course, "There is no way, the popularity is here, it can't be stopped. Don't be envious, if you are envious, you will lose."

Mahomes was overjoyed and laughed out loud, but he kept shaking his head. "No, no, no, I'm so envious that my stomach hurts. The other day, Brittany said that she can see your ads everywhere she goes. Will she see you endorsing cosmetics next?"

Levi actually thought about it seriously, "Cosmetics... may be a little difficult. But perfume should be possible. Look, JJ even has his own perfume."

Mahomes imagined Watt's image in his mind. "Does it stink of sweat?"

Levi couldn't believe his ears, "Sherlock, you've become a bad person, it's all Travis' fault."

Mahomes looked at Levi, who had an innocent face, and laughed on the sofa.

After all the laughing and joking, Mahomes lay on the sofa, stunned for a moment, "But, not everyone can be like you."

Levi naturally understood this, "So, you should calmly think about your needs."

Mahomes looked at Levi and gave him a questioning look.

Levi thought for a moment and said, "Look at Le'Vion Bell."

"Teams across the league are accusing Bell of being greedy, but is that really the case? It took nearly a decade for the highest annual salary for a running back to rise from $10 million to $15 million, and the growth rate of the average annual salary lags far behind the rate of increase in the league's hard salary cap."

"For a quarterback, Rodgers' annual salary of $30 million now seems incredible, but do you believe it?"

"Five years from now, this number may not even be a big deal. Maybe $50 million a year will be everywhere."

Mahomes gasped, unable to believe his ears.

But Levi was calm, "It's entirely possible. After all, the entire league's focus on quarterbacks continues to soar, because Goodell needs to create stars."

"There are so many players on a football team that if you don't promote a star position, it won't do any good for marketing around the world."

"It's just like football. If there are stars, promote them. If there are no stars, promote positions, such as forwards or midfielders. Focusing all attention on one position can lower the entry threshold for those lay audiences. This is the right way to expand the mass base of a project."

“That’s the position at quarterback in this league.”

Even though Levi traveled back in time, he knew nothing about football, so he had no idea what the league would be like five years from now.

All of this is just Levi's inference based on the current situation of the alliance.

As it turned out, Levi was right.

In the original time and space in 2024, the highest annual salary for running backs still did not exceed million US dollars, while the highest annual salary for quarterbacks easily reached million US dollars.

Moreover, it is not an elite quarterback, not Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, not Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills, not Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals, and not Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens, but Jordan Love, the fourth-year quarterback who succeeded Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers.

Love only has one full season as a starting quarterback, and his starting season was not even top-notch, it could only be said to be excellent. However, due to the severe premium of quarterbacks, he signed an incredible and amazing contract in the 2024 offseason.

This is reality, absurd but true.

Moreover, this is not a unique case.

As early as last offseason, Cousins ​​signed a fully guaranteed contract with the Minnesota Vikings, which has already foreshadowed the direction of the league's development. Indeed, Levi knows nothing about the NFL; but precisely because he is an outsider, he sees it more clearly.

"I agree with Bell."

"He's just fighting for his rightful place as a running back. Between the team's victory and his own needs, he's trying to find a suitable position and squeeze himself in."

"Unfortunately, he failed in the end."

"The same thing will happen to you next. If you sign a long-term contract now, your salary in five years may not be worth mentioning at all, and people may feel sorry for you, 'Oh, poor Mahomes, what a pity', and then encourage you to negotiate with the team and sign a new contract."

"However, correspondingly, as the hard salary cap continues to increase, the salary space freed up by the quarterback can allow the team to sign more outstanding players."

"For example, an offensive line that can protect the quarterback well; or a group of wide receivers who can catch the ball without butter hands."

As soon as he finished speaking, Mahomes covered his cheeks with his hands and wailed, "No, rookie, this is a curse, a curse!"

The wide receiver's butter hands are definitely the nightmare of all quarterbacks. Even if the quarterback has all his strength and the football has been fed into the wide receiver's arms, the wide receiver still drops the ball with butter hands. That is definitely a disaster. The quarterback is helpless and half of his martial arts skills are wasted.

Levi chuckled.

In Levi's opinion, this is precisely the charm of football. Whether it is a quarterback or a running back, they all need the cooperation of their teammates, otherwise they can't do anything alone.

Levi looked at Mahomes and said, "So, you need to think about it yourself, whether it is your own need or the team's victory."

"Of course, everyone knows that without the team's honor, the individual is nothing; the key point is here, for the team's victory, how much of your own needs are you willing to sacrifice, and to what extent? This is the most difficult balance."

Mahomes turned to look at Levi, "What about you? If it were you, what would you do?"

Levi spread his hands, "Sherlock, you are a quarterback, and your situation is different from mine. I can't make decisions for you. You should think for yourself, or discuss it with your agent."

Mahomes waved his hand. "I know, I know. I'm just curious about your thoughts. You know, you're the smartest person I know."

Levi's mouth curled up, "Light the candle for Brittany."

Mahomes wailed.

Levi laughed heartily and stopped joking. He thought seriously, "If it were me, I would choose a figure that breaks the league's current highest annual salary and ask the team to sign a long-term contract, such as five years or seven years."

"This number may seem shocking now, but we all know that in five or seven years, this number may be very common, even lower than the league average."

"But it doesn't matter. I have been enjoying the highest salary in the league for five years. Even if the subsequent salary is lower than the league average, it is acceptable."

"Because of the salary cap space left here, the team can sign more outstanding players, and then we can strive for more victories and more championships together."

"From another perspective, this is also another form of rookie contract."

"Sign a long-term contract with a relatively stable salary figure, and then allow the team to use the vacated salary space to complete the team layout."

(End of this chapter)