Hard work certainly paid off for Jalen Carter this offseason.
Although the Philadelphia Eagles waited longer than expected, they put a massive contract on the table for Carter to sign.
Unsurprisingly, the star defensive tackle inked a deal that suddenly put him in historic territory as he became the highest-paid defensive tackle.
The Eagles signed Carter to a $152 million contract extension, and $106 million of that salary over time will be guaranteed. Just as Carter and the Eagles get back to work, the team’s head coach, Nick Sirianni, was proud to announce that Carter’s offseason of waiting didn’t affect his work ethic.
Nick Sirianni Silences Jalen Carter Doubters With Critical Update
“I give him a lot of credit. He’s focused so much on football, he came back in phenomenal shape,” Sirianni told reporters on Wednesday, July 29.
“With his weight, with his conditioning test. So even with that contract still looming, he worked his a** off, and I’m proud of him for that. And it shows you the type of guy he is, and he’ll continue to be, and excited for him to play ball.”
Since entering the NFL, Carter has had his critics for both football and non-football reasons. And throughout a quiet summer on the extension front, many believed that the Eagles could be looking to cut ties with Carter before taking care of him financially.
Howie Roseman and Nick Sirianni gave the NFL world 152 million reasons to believe that they are all-in on Jalen Carter.
“Since Jalen’s been here, he’s put his head down, he’s worked hard, he’s made huge impactful plays for this organization, for this team,” Roseman told reporters.
“Last year, he wasn’t 100 percent. He was trying to fight through that and play through that. We understand that. Like anyone, when you’re 25 years old, you’re still growing as a person and a player.“
The Eagles can now move forward knowing that their top defensive lineman is locked in long-term alongside the thriving Jordan Davis.