When Cliff Avril turned down a reported three-year, $30 million contract offer to stay with the Lions, he did so because he expected to be one of the NFL’s most sought after free agents in 2013. But it didn’t work out the way he expected, and Avril signed a relatively modest two-year, $13 million contract with the Seahawks.
Now in the Super Bowl with Seattle, Avril says he’s fine with how things turned out.
“It’s not like I’m making pennies,” Avril said. “Again, I can’t complain. I’m fortunate enough to be where I’m at right now. There’s definitely no bitterness.”
Pressed by reporters if he was upset about playing the 2012 season in Detroit on the franchise tag, and then getting less than expected in 2013, Avril said he has no complaints.
“No, it’s a business,” Avril said. “I’ve been saying that from years past. It’s a business. I understand it. It is what it is. It’s working out for me. I can’t complain. Once again, I’m here at the Super Bowl talking to you guys. I can’t complain at all.”
As Avril noted last week on Pro Football Talk on NBCSN, his two-year contract with the Seahawks could be just the first contract he signs in Seattle. Avril said he would love to stay in Seattle for the long haul.
“I would love, I would love to,” Avril told Mike Florio. “I definitely don’t want to go into free agency again. But,you know, we’ll see how it goes, how it works out, but I would definitely love to be out here, you know it’s a great place to be, stadium is amazing, team is good, I would love to be out here.”
Avril sounds like a player who knows that $6.5 million a year, playing on a good team with players and coaches he likes, is nothing to complain about.