Running back Devonta Freeman helped drive the Falcons to the Super Bowl this season with over 1,500 yards from scrimmage and 13 touchdowns, which sets him up nicely for a payday as he heads into the final year of his rookie contract.
In an interview with Mike Silver of NFL Media, Freeman said he hopes to “get rewarded” with a new deal once the Super Bowl is over. Freeman told Silver that he’s not thinking about the money this week, something he reiterated on Super Bowl Opening Night in Houston by saying that “all I’m thinking about” is winning on Sunday.
Coach Dan Quinn said he isn’t worried that the timing of Freeman’s contract talk will pose a distraction to him or anyone else on the team.
“That connection that Free has with his offensive teammates is so strong, I do realize that a clip came out about that,” Quinn said, via the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “That’s a great topic for a week from today. Honestly, the team is so focused on this game, this matchup that it’s not a distraction.”
There’s not much reason to think Freeman’s comments will be an issue. Players know there’s a business side to their jobs and it’s not like he’s going to hold out for more money in the next few days, which should leave this as one of the first orders of business for Atlanta once Super Bowl LI has come to an end.