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09/09/10 11:00:00
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09/09 22:55 CDT Brady OKs contract to become NFL's top paid player
Brady OKs contract to become NFL's top paid player
By HOWARD ULMAN
AP Sports Writer
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) -- Two people with knowledge of the contract said
Thursday night that Tom Brady has agreed to a four-year extension that would
make him the NFL's highest paid player.
The extension for the New England Patriots quarterback begins in 2011 at an
average of $18 million per year with a total of $48.5 million guaranteed, one
of those persons said. Both persons spoke on condition of anonymity because the
paperwork had not yet been filed with the NFL.
Brady is making $6.5 million this season in the final year of a six-year deal.
The extension was first reported by Peter King of Sports Illustrated during
halftime of NBC's telecast of the Minnesota-New Orleans game.
The average value of Brady's deal surpasses that of New York Giants quarterback
Eli Manning, who agreed this year to a six-year, $97.5 million ($16.25 million
average) extension starting next year. He's making $9.4 million this season.
Peyton Manning is in the final year of a seven-year, $98 million deal ($14
million average) and Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay said he intends to make
his quarterback the NFL's highest paid player.
Brady's contract differs from those two deals in that it pays him a higher
average salary over a shorter period of time. He has said he would like to play
10 more seasons. He is currently playing under a four-year extension with an
average value of $12 million that he signed with two years left on his previous
deal.
Brady's agreement came on a day in which the two-time Super Bowl MVP was
involved in a two-car accident near his home in Boston's Back Bay. Police
responded to the scene at about 6:30 a.m. after reports of an accident, police
spokeswoman Elaine Driscoll said.
Brady was unhurt and wasn't hospitalized. He went to Gillette Stadium where he
took part in a walkthrough practice at about 10:45 a.m. At the full practice
starting shortly after 1 p.m., he stretched with his teammates, threw passes
and participated in the entire session in full uniform.
The Patriots begin their season Sunday at home against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Brady has had a strong exhibition season after throwing for 4,398 yards,
second-most in his career, in 2009. His 28 touchdown passes tied for second in
his career. That followed a 2008 season in which he suffered a season-ending
injury to his left knee in the opener. He played late last season with finger
and rib injuries but appeared healthy since the team began training camp in
late July.
The Patriots drafted Brady in the sixth round out of Michigan in 2000 and he
has been the starter since the third game in 2001 after Drew Bledsoe was
injured. Brady was named MVP of the Super Bowl that season and in the 2003
season. He also was part of the team that won the championship after the 2004
season.
In 2007, he was named MVP of the NFL when the Patriots were 18-0 before losing
the Super Bowl 17-14 to the New York Giants on a last-minute touchdown.
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