Russell Wilson had only one year left on his contract heading into this season and he was desperate to get an extension from the Seattle Seahawks. Back in January, it was reported that Wilson had given the Seahawks an April 15th deadline to get a contract extension done and that he wouldn't sign a deal after the deadline. If Wilson went into the offseason next year without a contract, he could risk getting hit with a franchise tag which would hurt his ability to go and get his desired contract. Luckily for Wilson and the Seahawks, both parties agreed to a deal right at the deadline last night.
According to ESPN, the terms of the deal make Wilson the highest paid player in the league. The contract is for four years, ending in 2023 and is worth $140 million. Included in the deal are a $65 million signing bonus and an annual average salary of $35 million. Both of these figures surpass that of the contract signed by Aaron Rodgers last year, who makes $33.5 million a year and received a $57.5 million signing bonus.
In the tweet above, Wilson appears to be quite happy about his contract and quite frankly he should be. Seahawks fans can also breathe a sigh of relief now as their Super Bowl-winning quarterback is locked up for at least five more seasons.
