Shohei Ohtani's 10-year, $700 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers is so massive, even top athletes in other sports were floored.
After anticipation surrounding his free agency hit a fever pitch, details of Ohtani's contract managed to continue the chaos. The fully guaranteed deal is now the largest in North American professional sports history.
People couldn't fathom the amount Ohtani will earn, as "Seven hundred million dollars" began to trend on X. Those reactions weren't limited to fans.
From Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes to Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, the amount is still stunning. Mahomes, a two-time NFL MVP and two-time Super Bowl MVP, sent a trio of laughing emojis in response to three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt's shocked reaction.
For comparison, Mahomes' recently restructured contract with the Chiefs pays him $210.6 million between 2023 and 2026, the most in NFL history over a four-year span. Unable to process the amount, he congratulated Ohtani on the historic deal.
Ohtani's talent can't be questioned, and his two-way ability is unmatched in MLB right now. The two-time MVP Award winner can take control of a game from the pitcher's mound or at bat. Playing off of Ohtani's allure, Watt encouraged Mahomes to start honing his defensive skills for more cash.
Salary cap makes the NFL a completely different world than MLB. The same goes for the NBA, which has netted its all-time leading scorer LeBron James approximately $479 million in 21 seasons.
Mitchell and New York Knicks guard Josh Hart weighed in, offering similarly astonished reactions to the amount. Mitchell is currently playing on a five year, $163,000,300 contract with the Utah Jazz that he declined to extend in October.
Legendary NBA guard Magic Johnson is all business in his retirement and he reacted to Ohtani's deal from that perspective. Forbes announced Johnson as a billionaire in October, a status he reached through a diverse portfolio of investment which includes the Los Angeles Dodgers, Lakers, Sparks and Washington Commanders. He also has stake in MLS franchise LAFC.
Dodgers second baseman Gavin Lux woke up excited about his new teammate. Meanwhile, Cincinnati Reds icon Joey Votto had to be checked on when he saw the news. Votto's 22-year relationship with the Reds recently ended when the team paid a buyout on his 10-year, $225 million contract, which was a franchise record.