Joe Flacco knows his stature as the highest-paid player in NFL history may not last, and he’s OK with that.
What matters most to the Super Bowl MVP is that the Ravens were willing to pay him that kind of money in the first place.
Flacco signed his new contract yesterday, worth $120.6 million over six years. He will receive a $29 million signing bonus, $52 million in guaranteed money and $51 million over the first two years of the deal.
The former first-round draft pick out of Delaware is the first starting quarterback in NFL history to make the playoffs in each of his first five seasons. He led the Ravens to nine wins over that span, tying Tom Brady for most among quarterbacks in the first five years of a career.
Flacco threw 11 touchdown passes and no interceptions during the recent postseason and led Baltimore to a 34-31 Super Bowl win over San Francisco.
“I know that this isn’t going to hold up for that long,” Flacco said, “but that’s not a priority of mine to be the highest-paid guy. The priority of mine was to get that respect that I felt, that I feel now from this organization.”
STEELERS: Veteran cornerback William Gay agreed to a three-year deal, a move that should give the Steelers some insurance if unrestricted free agent Keenan Lewis decides to play elsewhere. Financial terms were not disclosed.
CHIEFS: Wide receiver Dwayne Bowe and punter Dustin Colquitt were signed to new long-term contracts and the franchise tag was placed on left tackle Bra
nden Albert.
COLTS: Indianapolis will bring back longtime center Jeff Saturday so he can retire from the NFL as a Colt. Team officials say Saturday will make the announcement Thursday.