DK Metcalf is going be with the Seattle Seahawks for at least a few more seasons after signing a three-year, $72 million contract extension that, barring an unforeseen trade, will keep the star playmaker in the Pacific Northwest through the 2025 season. Metcalf will complete the final year of his rookie contract in 2022 before the new deal officially begins next season.
The star wideout took to social media to have some fun after news broke that the two parties agreed to a new contract. Metcalf tweeted “God said” along with a meme that had the text “Bring me my money.”
Metcalf took a more serious tone during the team’s press conference officially announcing the deal. The Seahawks receiver fought back tears as he began to discuss the significance of the contract extension.
“Just coming from Oxford, Mississippi, all the way over here to Seattle is a long journey,” Metcalf explained during his July 29, 2022 press conference. “I’m about to get emotional so bear with me. It really hasn’t hit me until now that I’ll have the opportunity just to help so many people back home and help my family. And just thinking about when I broke my neck, and I was told I wasn’t going to be able to play football again and now just this moment happening is just all a blessing.”
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Metcalf’s $30 Million Signing Bonus Is the Most Money for a WR in NFL History
Metcalf’s new contract gives the wideout an average annual salary of $24 million, a big step up from his four-year, $4.58 million rookie contract. The playmaker was able to secure a shorter deal that will potentially allow Metcalf to become a free agent at the age of 27.
Metcalf also made history with a $30 million signing bonus, the most ever for a wide receiver, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Through contract extensions in back-to-back years, the Seahawks have solidified their receiving core in Metcalf and Tyler Lockett for the foreseeable future. Whether it is Drew Lock, Geno Smith or another player down the road, the Seahawks eventual franchise quarterback should have plenty of weapons at his disposal.
Schneider Praised Metcalf’s ‘Professionalism’ & ‘Patience’
The rising price of star NFL receivers combined with the blockbuster Russell Wilson trade created some speculation that the Seahawks may decide against giving Metcalf a massive contract. Seattle sent a strong message on draft day by passing on any potential Metcalf deals. Seahawks general manager John Schneider called the negotiations a “long process” but praised Metcalf for “your professionalism and your patience.”
“It’s a long process, a planning process that started in Indy [at the NFL combine], and it took a while,” Schneider explained. “But also want to especially thank DK. I want to thank you for your professionalism and your patience through this process. People on the outside, when they see these huge contracts are just blown away. And it is, it’s a huge blessing right, but they don’t understand the stress that goes along with a negotiation like this.
“Again, it’s a huge blessing, but it’s a long process and there’s a lot that goes into it for the player, his family, his loved ones, and so I just want to thank you for your patience and professionalism.”
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Seahawks Star DK Metcalf Breaks Silence on New $72 Million Contract