Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce (Getty Image)
Kelce has earned more than $111 million so far, while Mahomes has already crossed $232 million. Kelce entered the league in 2013 after the Chiefs selected him in the third round of the NFL Draft. His first contract was modest by today’s standards, with Spotrac listing his rookie-season earnings at $1,108,304. Kelce has earned $111,194,254 from his NFL career with Kansas City, according to Spotrac. The veteran tight end is also scheduled to make $12,004,760 during the 2026 season. That would push his total NFL earnings beyond $123 million. Mahomes joined the Chiefs four years after Kelce, arriving as the 10th overall selection in the 2017 NFL Draft. His rookie-season earnings were already substantial at $10,551,026, according to Spotrac.
Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes have built one of the NFL’s most successful quarterback-tight end partnerships, helping the Kansas City Chiefs become a regular contender. But their impact on the field is reflected very differently in their paychecks. As the two stars enter another season together, the gap between their career NFL earnings has become impossible to ignore. More than a decade later, those early numbers have grown into a huge career total. Kelce’s financial rise mirrors his importance to the Chiefs. He developed into one of the league’s most productive tight ends and became a central part of Kansas City’s offence alongside Mahomes.