Barry Sanders has added another record to his long list: he is now the NFL's highest-paid player.
Sanders agreed Sunday to a five-year contract with the Detroit Lions, with an option for a sixth year. The team did not disclose the financial terms of the contract, but several media reports placed it above $34 million.The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press reported today that Sanders agreed to a $34.56 million contract that averages slightly more than $5.7 million a season. Troy Aikman had been the NFL's top-paid player, averaging $5.671 million a year.
"The thing that sets this apart is that we finally broke the glass ceiling for quarterbacks," Lamont Smith, one of Sanders' two agents, told the News. "Barry's the highest-paid player in the league."
The News and the Free Press reported the deal includes an $11 million signing bonus. The News reported that Sanders agreed to rewrite the 1997 year of his contract, reducing his salary-cap number from $4.2 million to $3.233 million.
"My opinion was, if they were going to get this type of cap relief, Barry should realize a windfall," Smith said. "The windfall becomes the escalating average."
The contract also includes a clause mandating Sanders be the highest-paid running back in the NFL in the sixth year of the contract, the Free Press reported.
"We were able to do this and I give the Lions a lot of credit," said Sanders' other agent, David Ware. "Despite the fact Barry had a year left on his contract and they could have used the franchise tag on him, we were able to work out a deal."
The Free Press cited sources as saying the biggest sticking point in the negotiations after the financial package was determined was the structuring of payments.
"This was obviously a complicated deal, and we're glad we could iron out the final details," said Chuck Schmidt, the Lions' executive vice president and chief operating officer. "Barry's been an important player for this team for the past eight seasons. And with this deal, we're delighted that Lions fans will have the opportunity to watch Barry for years to come."
Sanders won the NFL rushing title last season with 1,553 yards, becoming the first back in league history to rush for 1,500 yards or better in three straight seasons. Sanders also was the first back to rush for more than 1,000 yards in eight straight seasons, and the first to rush for more than 1,000 yards in each of his first eight seasons.
The 1,553 yards was the second-best total of Sanders' career. He ran for 1,883 yards in 1994.
"I'm pleased that we were able to work this out, and I'm happy to have Barry in camp," said first-year coach Bobby Ross. "Now we have to get to work. He has some catching up to do, and I'm anxious to start working with him."
Ross previously expressed concern about Sanders missing a mini-camp and the start of training camp, although teammates were not as concerned.
"He'll get here when he gets here," Herman Moore said Sunday before the signing was announced.
Quarterback Scott Mitchell agreed.
"I honestly haven't been thinking about it at all," he said. "We've got enough other stuff that we've got to be thinking about while we're here."
Sanders, who won the Heisman Trophy in 1988 at Oklahoma State, is seventh on the NFL's career rushing list with 11,725 yards and trails Marcus Allen by only 13 yards. Walter Payton, who played 13 seasons with the Chicago Bears, holds the career rushing record of 16,726 yards.