Chapter 949: 948 Full of Expectation

Mahomes took a full three beats to realize his impulsiveness–

Li Wei.

As the reigning regular-season MVP from last season and the Super Bowl MVP for two consecutive years, the unquestionable core of the team, Li Wei is undoubtedly the leader of the Kansas City Chiefs now.

If Veach were to prioritize negotiating an extension with Mahomes just because of Li Wei’s role as a running back and overlook Li Wei’s contributions, it would undoubtedly be hurtful.

Running backs–are they truly just disposable assets?

Can top-tier running backs really not influence a game like ordinary ones?

Lynch, Peterson, Bell, Gurley, Henry, Elliott, Barkley, and so many other outstanding running backs have carried their teams’ offenses on their backs. Are they not worthy of recognition?

The brutal reality is no less painful than what the Professional League subjected Houston, Berry, and others to.

And now, Mahomes is adding salt to Li Wei’s wounds?

This made Mahomes feel awkward and uneasy. Even though it wasn’t his decision, he still felt as though he had inadvertently hurt Li Wei.

Maybe he shouldn’t have come to tell Li Wei.

But the truth is, over the past two seasons, Mahomes has grown step by step under Li Wei’s guidance, unconsciously beginning to look up to Li Wei and trust him. The role Li Wei plays on the team is far from simple.

If the team truly sees Li Wei as nothing more than a disposable asset, Mahomes would be the first to speak out for Li Wei.

Thinking of this stirred Mahomes with emotions such as anger and shame. A chaotic flood of feelings surged forward, leaving his words muddled and unclear.

The hesitating, tangled, and cryptic expression fell into Li Wei’s eyes. After some reflection, his thoughts became clear.

A smile climbed onto his lips.

“If you’re worried about me, actually the team manager already gave me a call.”

Mahomes instantly held his breath, his eyes widening, “To discuss a contract?”

Li Wei nodded lightly, “Yes, to discuss a contract.”

Mahomes lifted himself off the couch, half-floating in the air, almost ready to leap up, “The team is preparing to extend your contract as well?”

Li Wei: “It seems so.”

In an instant, Mahomes leapt high into the air, almost like a circus performer, lunging toward Li Wei and shouting with unrestrained excitement.

“I knew it! Haha, I knew it!”

“Rookie, we’re about to become multimillionaires! We’re about to become multimillionaires!”

“Ahhh, let’s extend our contracts together, let’s keep fighting side by side, let’s go for the championship!”

“Championship! Championship! Championship!”

Pure joy and happiness burst forth relentlessly, unstoppable–

Even though negotiations had yet to start, and the team had merely expressed interest, the details of the contract remained unknown, with countless uncertainties.

But for the young second-year players, this was already an affirmation–a recognition of their potential and a readiness to build the future together.

For Mahomes, just his first starting season had convinced the team manager; and for Li Wei, just two seasons had been enough to break the stereotype that running backs are disposable commodities. From every perspective, this was a monumental achievement.

It was worth celebrating.

After unleashing all his emotions, Mahomes finally calmed down a bit, “Rookie, what kind of contract do you think we can get?”

Li Wei: “That will depend on our agent’s capabilities.”

Mahomes rubbed his hands secretly.

Li Wei had always been waiting, focused, proving his value through his performance on the field–not out of modesty but to bide his time for that moment when he could achieve a major breakthrough and secure a substantial paycheck.

As Li Wei had told Hunter, his running back teammate, before:

“Don’t rush. Be patient.”

Originally, Li Wei thought he would have to wait until his third season ended; after all, the status of running backs across the League was an undeniable reality. If Li Wei wanted to break history, he would need to accumulate energy for one decisive blow.

Now, the opportunity had arrived earlier than expected–this was the best reward.

“I’m looking forward to a record-breaking contract,” Li Wei said earnestly.

Mahomes couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement from this statement, “Breaking records? What kind of contract are we talking about?”

“How much for an annual salary?”

“Who’s the highest-paid quarterback right now? Rodgers? Or Cousins?”

“What about running backs? Bell? The New York Jets would definitely offer him a fat contract.”

“Rookie, what’s your dream annual salary?”

Babbling away.

Mahomes’ excitement and exhilaration were unstoppable, and his imagination ran wild.

Li Wei was no exception–

Currently, the highest-paid player in the League by position: For quarterbacks, it should be Rodgers, with an annual salary of around $33 million. If Li Wei remembered correctly, that was a four-year, $134 million contract with $55 million in guaranteed money.

For running backs, it should be Gurley, with a four-year, $60 million deal, an annual salary of $15 million, and $45 million in guaranteed money.

No matter how the Kansas City Chiefs planned to negotiate with Mahomes and Li Wei, these two contracts were undoubtedly the benchmarks. Should the new deal exceed the benchmark or fall below it? And if it exceeds, by how much?

Mahomes cautiously envisioned possibilities without actually expecting Li Wei to reply, immersing himself in his thoughts and letting his imagination soar.

“Rookie, do you think…an annual salary of $30 million is possible?”

Turning to Li Wei, Mahomes’ eyes held a mix of nervousness and anticipation.

Li Wei’s lips curled upward, “Hey, Sherlock, since we’re dreaming, let’s dream big. How about $50 million annually?”

Cough cough.

Mahomes immediately choked on his own saliva.

“Roo…kie…rookie…cough cough…”

Li Wei quickly poured a glass of water for Mahomes, who gulped it down, yet his expression and gaze still carried traces of shock.

He stared at Li Wei with wide-eyed disbelief, as if Li Wei had just uttered something earth-shatteringly outrageous–

And it certainly was outrageous.

In the context of 2019, within the NFL and the constraints of its hard salary cap, an annual salary of $50 million for a football player was genuinely unfathomable.

In fact, it wasn’t just the NFL; even basketball’s notoriously exorbitant salaries in the NBA didn’t come close.

In 2019, excluding bonuses, the top three annual salaries in the NBA belonged to Stephen Curry, Chris Paul, and LeBron James, with the highest sitting at $35 million.

Of course, the NBA did have higher average salaries, with over ten players earning at least $30 million annually, but in the NFL, only Rodgers reached that figure, let alone most players earning under $10 million annually.

So when Li Wei casually threw out a bait of $50 million annual salary, it was no wonder Mahomes looked like he’d taken a massive blow.

Li Wei remained composed.

“Dare to dream big. It’s not impossible; you need to believe in yourself.”

Mahomes stood there holding the glass, his mind buzzing with countless thoughts, unable to sort them out.

Then, he looked at Li Wei, this time with genuine curiosity.

“What about you? You’re hoping for a historic salary figure, aren’t you?”

“And you deserve it–after all, you’ve fundamentally changed people’s perception of running backs.”