I heard something yesterday you very rarely hear.
I heard a big-time athlete step up to a microphone and say he liked his contract.
Of course, there was a reason for the huge smile on the face of Eagles tight end Brent Celek. The third-year player, taken in the fifth round in 2007, had just signed a contract extension that could pay him $33 million over the next six years. As much as $11 million of that is guaranteed.
I know, I do it all the time. You have to stop and read the numbers again. Eleven. Million. Guaranteed. $11 million. Celek is 24 years old.
It’s true, they live in a completely different world than the rest of us.
But it was especially refreshing to hear what Celek said next.
The Eagles leading receiver so far this year with 54 catches and five TDs said he was happy with his deal. No kidding. But he also said something else. Even if the market changes, don’t look for him to be back in front of a microphone sometime down the line complaining that he is underpaid.
“I tell you right now that I’m set and I’m happy with my deal,” Celek said. “I can promise you that I won’t be up here (in a few years) complaining about my deal, because they put trust in me by signing me early and giving me financial security for the rest of my life, and I owe it to them to play out my deal. That’s personally how I feel, and that’s how I’ll go about my business.”
Good for Celek. We’ll keep that in mind in the future. But it’s still refreshing to hear.
I heard a big-time athlete step up to a microphone and say he liked his contract.
Of course, there was a reason for the huge smile on the face of Eagles tight end Brent Celek. The third-year player, taken in the fifth round in 2007, had just signed a contract extension that could pay him $33 million over the next six years. As much as $11 million of that is guaranteed.
I know, I do it all the time. You have to stop and read the numbers again. Eleven. Million. Guaranteed. $11 million. Celek is 24 years old.
It’s true, they live in a completely different world than the rest of us.
But it was especially refreshing to hear what Celek said next.
The Eagles leading receiver so far this year with 54 catches and five TDs said he was happy with his deal. No kidding. But he also said something else. Even if the market changes, don’t look for him to be back in front of a microphone sometime down the line complaining that he is underpaid.
“I tell you right now that I’m set and I’m happy with my deal,” Celek said. “I can promise you that I won’t be up here (in a few years) complaining about my deal, because they put trust in me by signing me early and giving me financial security for the rest of my life, and I owe it to them to play out my deal. That’s personally how I feel, and that’s how I’ll go about my business.”
Good for Celek. We’ll keep that in mind in the future. But it’s still refreshing to hear.
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