NFL

Drew Brees Agrees To A Five-Year, $100 Million Contract With The Saints, Is The New Salary King Of American Pro Sports

It was only a matter of time between the Saints and Drew Brees agreed to a contract extension. Today was finally that time. Chris Mortensen of ESPN reports that Brees and the Saints finally agreed on a deal, with the quarterback coming back on for five years, $100 million. The staggering contract will pay Brees $40 million of guaranteed money in its first year (!) and a guaranteed $60 million over its first three years (!).

,@DrewBrees, #Saints reach agreement on 5 yr, $100-mill deal, including $40 mill in year 1; $60 mill guaranteed in 1st 3 yr. More on #ESPN

— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) July 13, 2012

In addition to what looks like the largest guarantee in league history, Drew Brees will take home $40 million in Year 1 of his new deal.

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) July 13, 2012

The guaranteed money Brees is set to make is the most in NFL history, and the $40 million in year one would be, from what we can tell, the most money for any athlete to collect in the Big 4 sports for a single season of service. In short: Breesy got paid.

UPDATE: He certainly did. The only comparable athletes, on a per-year basis in salary, are Cameroonian soccer player Samuel Eto’o ($29 million per season) and Spanish Formula One driver Fernando Alonso ($40 million). In terms of North American pro sports, Brees is the new salary king.

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