Football and basketball are two of the most popular and highest-paying sports in the United States, as well as the world. While Patrick Mahomes leads the list as the best American football player of the current generation, LeBron James is the best in the NBA and in conversation to be considered the greatest of all time.
But who’s the richer of the two stars? Let’s compare their career earnings and net worth.
What Is Patrick Mahomes’ Net Worth and Career Earnings?
Mahomes’ net worth is estimated to be $90 million, but this feels quite low. The superstar quarterback has totaled $182,004,472 in career earnings from his NFL contracts alone, which ranks 11th among all active players.
Mahomes is projected to crack the top 10 in career earnings by 2025. He’s on pace to become the NFL’s highest career earner by 2030. But in addition to his NFL contracts, Mahomes is earning a substantial amount of money from endorsement deals and business ventures.
The Kansas City QB has partnered with Hunt’s Ketchup, Essentia Water, Hy-Vee, State Farm, Oakley, DirectTV, Adidas, Head & Shoulders, Subway, Coors Light, Nestle, EA Sports, Walmart, T-Mobile, Airshare, Boss, Procter & Gamble, among others.
Mahomes’ endorsements earn him an estimated $7 million each year.
The Texas native is also a shrewd investor. In 2020, he became a minority stakeholder in the Kansas City Royals, announcing his entry into sports ownership. Then, Mahomes also invested in the Kansas City Current of the NWSL and the Formula 1 team, Alpine.
Mahomes also joined high-profile athletes like Kevin Durant and Eli Manning in investing in Whoop, a tech company known for its wearable fitness devices. He has also invested in Hyperice and Whataburger, among other companies.
NFL Longevity vs. NBA Potential: Who Wins the Money Race?
As of 2025, James’s net worth is estimated at approximately $1.2 billion, solidifying his status as the first active NBA player to achieve billionaire status. His billionaire status stems from his NBA career salary, combined with profitable endorsement contracts and strategic business investments.
LeBron James has officially become a billionaire, according to @Forbes.
That makes him the first NBA player in history to cross a $1 billion net worth while still active. pic.twitter.com/rw8vAB9Zf9
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) June 2, 2022
Throughout his two-decade-long NBA career, James has generated $528 million in salary while playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and Los Angeles Lakers. The two-year, $104 million contract extension he accepted with the Lakers in 2024 increased his career earnings and is expected to exceed $583 million by the end of the 2025-26 season.
Off the court, James’s endorsement portfolio is equally impressive. His lifetime deal with Nike, valued at more than $1 billion, reflects his exceptional market value. His income comes from multiple sources, including his partnerships with AT&T, PepsiCo, and Walmart.
His entrepreneurial attitude is evident through his multiple business investments. For instance, the sports icon launched SpringHill Company in 2020, which builds media content for both Netflix and HBO platforms.
Furthermore, as a partner in Fenway Sports Group, James holds ownership stakes in prominent sports teams, including Liverpool FC and the Boston Red Sox.
While James is clearly ahead of Mahomes in terms of both career earnings and net worth, it’s worth mentioning that the four-time NBA champion has played 14 more seasons than the three-time Super Bowl champion.
The difference in career earnings and net worth between the two stars is bound to narrow in the coming years. James is just a season or two short of retiring from the NBA, while Mahomes can still realistically play for a decade.
If James retires after two seasons, his career earnings from the NBA would be around $630 million. If Mahomes continues to be one of the top 10 quarterbacks in the NFL for the next decade, his career earnings could jump over $700 million, assuming a $50 million annual salary.
As for the difference in their net worth, that’s also bound to narrow down with time, but Mahomes is unlikely to take over James’ in that category, at least in the next decade.