Sammy Watkins taking a pay cut shows he’s the team player the Chiefs need

Before Patrick Mahomes mega-deal, Sammy Watkins took a pay cut to give the Chiefs more cap room.

The Chiefs are in the process of securing their 2020 Super Bowl-winning roster long-term, and while they have Brett Veach and Patrick Mahomes to thank for that, some credit ought to go to wide receiver Sammy Watkins, whose example may have just rubbed off on his 24-year-old quarterback.

Watkins trimmed $4.5 million off his salary in a reworked deal to start the offseason. Had he not done so, the Chiefs could’ve looked to trade away his contract or find an out. Instead of making the Chiefs front office jump through hoops to send him elsewhere, Watkins agreed to a team-friendly deal which allowed Kansas City to jumpstart talks with Mahomes, and perhaps now even Chris Jones.

Sammy Watkins’ explanation for taking a pay cut will make Chiefs fans love him.

$4.5 million may not sound like much in the grand scheme of a professional sports franchise, but it’s the example it sets for young players like Mahomes, who is set to take up nearly a quarter of Kansas City’s cap room at the financial height of his contract.

“How much money do I need? My family’s taken care of well,” Watkins said on SiriusXM NFL Radio, via Pro Football Talk. “Do I want I go to a team and lose and get 1,000 yards with a team that’s sorry. Or do I want to come back with one of the best coaches, the best quarterbacks, the best organization, the best team, the best wideout group — arguably — and come try to fight for another championship.”

Of course, this sounds quite similar to what Mahomes said about his deal just after signing, which is that it gives him the flexibility to rework the financials should the Chiefs need help adding more talent around him.

Should we be surprised? It’s the Kansas City Chiefs’ way.