Matthew Stafford has signed a blockbuster contract extension with the Detroit Lions that will have a ripple effect on the organization and the entire NFL.
Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford is now a very wealthy man. Actually, he was already a very wealthy man, having earned $110.5 million over his first eight NFL seasons (per Spotrac), but now he’s just showing off.
I kid, of course, but by now you’ve likely heard the news that the 29-year-old recently became the highest-paid player in NFL history, signing a five-year, $135 million contract with the team that selected him first overall in 2009.
The news was first reported on Monday night by ESPN’s Adam Schefter:
Lions and Matthew Stafford agreed to five-year contract expected to make him highest paid player in NFL history, a team source told ESPN.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 29, 2017
The deal contains an annual average salary of $27 million, with a $50 million signing bonus and $92 million in guarantees (per Adam Schefter). Translation: Stafford is getting paid.
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This contract completely changes the game from two different perspectives, particularly as it relates to the franchise and Stafford. For the Lions, this was a move that had to be made. Quality quarterbacks are in scarce supply, and if a team is fortunate enough to employ one, they have to open their pockets to keep him. Stafford has been productive and hard-working for this franchise for years, and has earned a lucrative extension, in spite of his lack of a playoff win.
From Stafford’s perspective, he likely could have held the team up for more money by letting this drag on and taking a year-to-year approach with the franchise tag. To his credit, he left some potential money on the table in favor of long-term security and being a company man. No doubt, getting $50 million up front didn’t hurt either.
Without question, this deal places significant scrutiny on Stafford. Expectations skyrocket when a player signs a contract like this one, and making the playoffs is no longer good enough. The Lions brass expects postseason victories as a return on their investment, and the fan base certainly shares that perspective.
If a quarterback is going to get paid like a Super Bowl winner, he must lead a legitimate contending team. Whether or not the Lions have surrounded Stafford with a Super Bowl caliber roster is another matter altogether, but let’s stick to the contract for now.
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The deal is also a game-changer in a much broader, NFL-wide sense. At this point, it’s completely apparent that the designation of “highest-paid player” is in no way a representation of who is truly the best player in the league, but rather an indicator of which solid quarterback was the most recent to enter a contract season. As of today Stafford, Derek Carr, and Andrew Luck enjoy the three highest yearly wages, and while they are all quality signal callers, no one is mistaking them for the three best in the NFL.
Without question, the quarterback market is in the process of resetting itself, and contracts are starting to get out of hand. Everyone is interested to see what sort of deal Kirk Cousins will land for himself next year, but there are many other names to be monitored in this saga.
Drew Brees, currently entering the final year of his contract, will command a big-money deal in the near future, even as he approaches 40. Matt Ryan, the 2016 NFL MVP, has two years left on his current pact, and will likely receive an enormous windfall after the 2017 season. Aaron Rodgers? Well, he may just be the best player in the league, and even though his next contract might be two years away, he is sure to net the richest deal in the game.
With all due respect to Stafford, Carr, and Luck, there’s no question that Brees, Ryan, and Rodgers are higher in the quarterback pecking order right now, and they will continue to raise the bar with their next contracts. It won’t be long before one these men is making well over $30 million per season.
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Still, Stafford’s extension is big news. There’s no question about that. The Lions now have him under contract for six more years, and can focus on building a winning roster around him. Yes, he’s the highest-paid player in the game, but that designation won’t last long, as he’s merely the next man up in the carousel of big-money quarterbacks. With that said, the amount of cash franchise passers are receiving is clearly on the upswing, and with this deal functioning as the new benchmark, the business side of the NFL is changing in a big way.