After a three-year stay in San Francisco, Mason earned a massive pay raise to join the Vikings. Instead of living in the shadow of Christian McCaffrey, the bruising back will operate as a co-starter, in a system destined to highlight his strength and obscure the aspects of the game he needs to work on.
What Does Jordan Mason’s NFL Contract Look Like?
Mason, primarily a backup with the San Francisco 49ers, will now split time in Minnesota. Within the confines of the Minnesota offense, we could expect to see an increase in touches. In 2024, the former Georgia Tech back enjoyed a breakout season, gaining 789 yards and three touchdowns with three scores.
On March 18, 2025, the Niners shipped him to the Vikings for a 2025 fifth-round draft pick. The Vikings signed the rusher to a two-year, $12 million deal
According to Spotrac, Mason will make $5.5 million in 2025. Turning 26 years old in May, Mason is expected to enter his prime at the conclusion of his current deal.
As a running back, he may need to take a few one-year “prove-it” deals. On the other hand, if he performs well enough this year, that may force Minnesota into changing the running back dynamic.
As an undrafted free agent, Mason actually enjoyed a fairly lucrative deal. During his 45 games played in the Bay Area, the 5’11”, 223-pound bruiser made a grand total of $2,570,000. Despite only starting six games for Kyle Shanahan, the Tech alum proved value as a special-teams player as well. Next year, he will make $5 million.
Despite the challenges players often face after entering the league without being drafted, Mason carved out a role for himself within a competitive backfield. Playing behind a star like McCaffrey, opportunities for significant carries were limited. However, Mason consistently demonstrated his physicality and reliability whenever his number was called.
#Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell on “1b” Jordan Mason:
“I do think Jordan’s gonna bring something to the table in those short-yardage situations, those goal-line situations, goal-to-go, where we’ve really left a lot to be desired as a football team.” pic.twitter.com/sOrk2XwDOE
— The Coachspeak Index (@CoachspeakIndex)
Over his three seasons with the 49ers, he gained valuable experience in a successful offensive system, learning from both coaches and fellow players, which likely contributed to his development and ultimately made him an attractive acquisition for Minnesota.
His three touchdowns in 2024 tied his career-best mark he set in 2023 and nearly doubled his career total (seven through three years). He totaled 880 scrimmage yards in 2024, more than he had in his first two seasons combined (258 and 237 yards in Years 1 and 2, respectively). After showing what he can do with an expanded touch count (164 in 2024), he could have earned an extended opportunity in 2025.