Dominate the Super Bowl-Chapter 991 - 990 History First

In the 2018 season, the League saw the birth of the highest-paid quarterback and the highest-paid running back.

Rodgers, quarterback for the Green Bay Packers, signed a four-year contract worth $134 million, with an annual salary of $33.5 million and guaranteed money of $103 million.

Each statistic set historical records.

Gurley, running back for the Los Angeles Rams, received a four-year $60 million contract, with an average salary of $15 million and $44 million in guaranteed money.

This also set a new record for running back contracts.

It’s worth noting that the quarterback contract market is always booming, with the ceiling being raised quickly every year or every two years; the running back contracts were quite different, not seeing a new record until 2024 when McCaffrey renewed with the San Francisco 49ers.

However, that’s no longer the case—

A ten-year, $200 million contract—what does it mean?

First, ten years.

Running backs are considered expendable, and this trend is becoming more intense in the League, with teams preferring to sign short-term contracts, even as brief as year-to-year.

Gurley’s four-year contract was already considered long-term, and this offseason, Bell’s contract with the New York Jets was also $52.5 million over four years.

And now, the Kansas City Chiefs have signed Li Wei to a ten-year contract in one fell swoop.

The confidence is evident.

It’s not just the trust in Li Wei but also highlights Li Wei’s importance to the team, sending a message to other competitors with a ten-year contract:

Opportunists, go away.

The Los Angeles Rams: Slightly offended, thank you.

Whether it was last year’s New York Giants or this year’s Los Angeles Rams, it’s clear that quite a few teams have been eyeing Li Wei, waiting for his rookie contract to expire and ready to pounce should the Kansas City Chiefs and Li Wei have trouble negotiating a renewal.

However, Veach took proactive action, silencing all competitors with a thunderous approach.

Second, $200 million.

An annual salary of $20 million is undoubtedly a historic breakthrough.

Despite the League’s salary cap rising, the increase hasn’t extended to running backs, as the salaries for quarterbacks, wide receivers, and linemen have been growing while running backs, linebackers, and safeties have seen stagnation or even slight declines.

Bell spent two seasons trying and couldn’t break the ceiling; Gurley’s $15 million annual salary still represents the cap for running backs in the League.

In fact, not even surpassing Gurley, but running backs earning over $10 million annually are rare, as teams focus on young players—

Henry. Elliott. Barkley. McCaffrey.

Including Li Wei.

The top-performing running backs in the League today are mostly young players on rookie contracts, cost-effective workers, tools to use and discard.

Until now.

The Kansas City Chiefs, together with Li Wei, are writing history, raising the ceiling for running back salaries to $20 million and overturning the entire framework.

The shock extends beyond imagination.

It surpasses Rodgers’ historical high salary from last season and also exceeds Cousins’ unprecedented fully guaranteed contract in the League.

This was anticipated early on.

Third, a $100 million guarantee.

This means that as long as Li Wei signs, no matter what happens in the future, even if he doesn’t play a single game, this $100 million is guaranteed.

This guaranteed amount is second only to the $103 million in Rodgers’ contract last season, standing as the second highest in League history.

This is true extravagance.

For running backs, the instability caused by injuries and age is undoubtedly the biggest obstacle, and with the exception of the extraordinary Sanders, nearly every running back faces this issue in their career.

Because of this, running back contracts often include various performance clauses aside from annual salary and duration, such as the number of games played in a season, carries or yardages, and injury absence; teams try to limit contracts with additional conditions.

It’s conceivable that there isn’t much left in guarantees.

Gurley’s contract had a guarantee of $45 million, which was rare. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓

Bell also ended up in a dispute with the Pittsburgh Steelers over a few million dollars in guarantees, leading to his holdout and even a season strike.

Now, Li Wei’s contract has a $100 million guarantee—

Truly momentous.

It may be unprecedented, perhaps a historical record never to be seen again.

Maybe, compared to quarterbacks, Li Wei’s salary figures aren’t high and are even less than other positions, and the running back predicament is clear; however, the Kansas City Chiefs have, within their capability, shown great sincerity, and this guarantee alone is enough to astonish the entire League.

Step by step, the Kansas City Chiefs have found a way to keep Li Wei.

As Veach said, this is also about securing the team’s leader for the next decade.

All in!

So, have the Kansas City Chiefs gone crazy?

Veach doesn’t think so.

Back-to-back seasons of phenomenal performance, regular-season and Super Bowl dual MVPs, and two Super Bowl Championship Trophies—these visible accomplishments are secondary; what they truly see is Li Wei’s leadership quality.

Whether it’s the courage to lead the team back in the postseason last season or the ability to inspire the team to persevere during tough times this season.

Whether it’s the cohesion and appeal demonstrated inside and outside the locker room or the stabilizing presence during critical moments on the field.

Li Wei has repeatedly proven that he is the soul of this team.

Moreover, Li Wei’s market appeal is a golden asset for the Kansas City Chiefs, and they have no reason to miss out.

For this contract, there were indeed some differences within the team’s higher-ups—

After all, this is for a running back.

But Reed’s determination and Hunter’s trust ultimately facilitated this contract.

Veach knows they are making history, and he believes they are on the right side of history, just like at the 2017 draft.

Veach believes the future of the Kansas City Chiefs lies on the shoulders of the young man before them.

Li Wei: ...

Li Wei must admit, he was shocked.

Although he had been in talks with Donald and clearly understood the contract negotiations; hearing the Kansas City Chiefs’ offer was nonetheless overwhelming with a strong sense of disbelief.

Unlike brand endorsements, a contract from the team is a form of trust, respect, and recognition, weighing heavily on his chest.

$200 million, what does this really mean?

Looking up, Li Wei sees Veach, a smile softly curling at the corners of his mouth.

"Looks like you expect me to give my last bit of strength on the field."

A small joke, yet extraordinary.

Veach also smiles, "What, over the past two seasons, have you not been giving your all? Oh, seems we got a good deal."

Li Wei lightly shrugs, palms facing upwards, making an uplifting gesture, "The pressure is a bit much, but for the check, I’ll try harder."