If Stafford got $135 million, what will Brees be worth?
When Drew Brees learned of Lions quarterback Matt Stafford’s five-year, $135 million extension, the Saints QB sent a text to his agent, Tom Condon, who also happens to be Stafford’s agent.
The one-word message to Condon read, “Wow,” Brees recalled this week.
Stafford is now the highestpaid NFL player, a title Brees held back in 2012 when Condon negotiated a five-year, $100 million deal for him. Now Brees is in his final year under contract with New Orleans, having agreed to a one-year extension last year as a short-term solution to New Orleans’ salary cap crunch at the time.
While Brees was impressed with Stafford’s deal, he wasn’t about to question it.
“The guy’s played great, you know. Last year was as impressive, I think, a run as a quarterback’s had in regards to finding ways to win games,” Brees said. “So, he was the next guy up, and he got a huge contract.”
When asked how Stafford’s number might affect his next contract, the 38-year-old Brees asserted he’s “not even thinking about it.”
“Every circumstance is different,” Brees told reporters. “You guys know my stance on this, right? We’ve talked about this enough over the last couple months, right? I’m focused on football.”
Sean Payton, who has been Brees’ coach since 2006, saw Stafford’s contract as business as usual in the NFL.
“There’s a premium at that position. It’ll be a year or two, and then someone else will eclipse that benchmark, and it’s, I think, pretty expected,” Payton said, smiling as he added, “It’s good to be Tom Condon.”
JERSEY CEREMONY
Derek Carr will take a short break from preparations for the start of the season for the Oakland Raiders to receive an honour he’s dreamed about for years.
Carr will go back to Fresno State on Saturday night to have his No. 4 jersey retired in a ceremony at halftime of the Bulldogs’ season opener against Incarnate Ward.
Fresno State has played a big part in Carr’s life since the days he went to games there cheering big brother David, who previously had his jersey retired, and then when Derek starred at quarterback there.
“That’s going to be a special mo- ment,” Carr said. “I’ve been thinking about it, too. I was like, ‘Man, I hope I don’t all of a sudden get randomly emotional.’ I literally dreamed of that since I was this tall. Every time I walked in that stadium for my brother’s games, I would tell my dad, ’Yeah, they’re going to put Dave’s up there, but they’re going to put mine, too.’
“Then when I was there, it said, ‘Carr 8,’ obviously, every day I walked down that ramp. I said, ‘They’re going to put my name right next to that.’ It drove me.”
GOOD READING
NFL fans looking for something more than games and fantasy teams should consider two books that recently hit the shelves.
Gary Myers, of the New York Daily News, came up with an original idea in his latest: My First Coach (Inspiring Stories of NFL Quarterbacks and Their Dads.) His tome is an examination of the relationships between several pro QBs and their fathers, and while it’s not groundbreaking, it certainly is entertaining.
The best material centres on Phil Simms’ strong relationship with his two quarterback sons, Chris and Matt, who have both played in the NFL, and Phil’s struggles to communicate with his own father when Phil was developing as a player. Also, the emotionally charged memories Brett Favre has of his late father and coach, Irv, are highlights.
Thomas George’s Blitz, with a foreword by Warren Moon and an afterword by Tony Dungy also is a fun read. George examines why rookie quarterbacks have become starters so often in the past 15 or so seasons; no QB had won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award until Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger took it in 2004.
George’s timing is impeccable, and his fourth chapter focuses on the sensational season Dak Prescott had for Dallas last year. But the best material is in Chapter 5, titled Shattered Dreams, in which George examines such failures as Todd Marinovich, David Klingler, Rick Mirer and Heath Shuler, then devotes plenty of room to Ryan Leaf — probably the poster child for youthful failure behind centre.
The Associated Press