There’s an old adage that when someone says something isn’t about the money, it’s probably about the money. Which would mean Mike Wallace signed with the Dolphins for the money.
Wallace told USA Today that when he decided to leave the Steelers and sign a five-year, $60 million contract with the Dolphins, he wasn’t taking the most lucrative offer. He was taking the offer that would make him happiest.
“In free agency, with so many great guys, when you get the prize deal, it’s always a good feeling,” Wallace said. “I just wanted to be happy. Money isn’t everything. A lot of people last year, when I held out in Pittsburgh, took it the wrong way, felt like I was just being greedy.”
Meanwhile, Wallace’s father is continuing to claim, as he did when his son first signed with the Dolphins, that the Vikings were actually offering his son more money than the Dolphins. And now the elder Wallace has even put a dollar figure on it: He claims that the Vikings were offering a contract with a total value of $76 million.
Wallace does acknowledge that he wanted to be well paid after feeling underpaid for years with the Steelers, but he also says Miami is the right place for him to emerge as a truly great player.
“I performed so well for so long, I just wanted to be well compensated,” he said. “I feel I got a bad rep. Free agency paid off for me. But it was bittersweet. The money is not all I’m in it for. I want to be a great player - win Super Bowls, go to Pro Bowls continuously.”
If he can win Super Bowls and go to Pro Bowls continuously, Wallace will be worth the $60 million, regardless of whether or not that’s the reason he signed with the Dolphins.