Yet, with the six-year, $93 million deal that Rivers received from the San Diego Chargers Monday, all three quarterbacks are higher paid than Brady, who has two years left on the six-year, $60 million extension he signed in 2005, which included $26.5 million in bonus money (a $14.5 million signing bonus and a $12 million option bonus). Even Brady’s former backup, Matt Cassel, got a six-year, $63 million deal with $28 million guaranteed from the Kansas City Chiefs.
If Brady, who will carry a $14.627 million cap charge this year but will make more than $8 million ($5 million base salary, $3 million roster bonus, $6,000-plus workout bonus), is upset about his compensation, it certainly didn’t show yesterday.
Asked whether he would consider contract talks prior to this season if the team came to him, Brady didn’t weaken his bargaining position, but he let his priorities be known. His focus is on playing the Washington Redskins Friday night in the third preseason game.
“If somebody wants to pay you more money? [Heck], I think we’re all probably underpaid, don’t you think?’’ said Brady. “We all wish we were paid more. That’s not the reality. I’m focused on this year. I’ve thought about it. I just want to go out and have a great year.
“Believe me, nothing is guaranteed. That’s what I learned last year. You don’t know whether you’ll be out here next week or the following week, so I think the most important thing is to focus on this week, and the more prepared you are for this week, the less chance you’ll have to play poorly or to have an injury. If we have goals to have a great season, we’re going to need to be on the field playing and getting better.’’
Brady took the big-picture view to the contracts that Rivers and Manning received.
