Peyton Manning’s new five-year deal gives him the same average yearly salary as Tom Brady, but the front-loaded deal ensures that Manning is essentially the league’s highest paid player for the next three years by a wide margin.
Chris Mortensen of ESPN writes that Manning will get $69 million over the next three years. (For comparison, Brady got $48.5 million over his first three years on his extension.) That means Manning is “only” due $10.5 million-per-year in the final two years of his deal.
Peter King of SI.com explains the possible logic behind the deal:
“The new TV deal in 2014 will allow the team to re-do it. Sensible,” King writes.
Then again, Manning will be 38 years old in 2014. The guy is one of the all-time greats, but he’s not immortal so it’s a little early to assume anything that will happen that far down the road.
In the meantime, Manning will essentially be the game’s highest paid player by a fairly large margin.