Business is booming indeed.
After patiently waiting until he entered the final year of his contract, which is when the Steelers will extend non-quarterback deals with one year left, Steelers receiver Antonio Brown cashed in on Monday, in a big way.
Per a source with knowledge of the situation, here’s the breakdown:
1. Signing bonus: $19 million.
2. 2017 salary: $910,000.
3. 2018 roster bonus: $6 million due on the fifth day of the league year.
4. 2018 salary: $7.875 million.
5. 2019 roster bonus: $2.5 million due on the fifth day of the league year.
6. 2019 salary: $12.625 million.
7. 2020 salary: $11.3 million.
8. 2021 salary: $12.5 million.
The Steelers and Brown had been working diligently to get the deal done, with three different trips to Pittsburgh over the past three weeks by agents Drew and Jason Rosenhaus, along with negotiations during Senior Bowl week.
Despite the Facebook Live fiasco and leaks to the media that seemed to trace directly to the team, the Steelers have rewarded Brown for his past services and provided him with the ability to make plenty of money over the next five seasons, with a $17 million average over the four new years, good for a new-money average of $17 million. (Counting the $4.71 million he was due to earn in 2017, the five-year average at signing is $14.54 million. Reasonable minds differ on whether new money or total value is the proper metric; the fact remains that it’s the biggest new-money average for a receiver in league history.)
Brown will have $29 million in new money through 2018, $44.2 million through 2019, and $55.5 million through 2020. The practical guarantee at signing is $19.910 million, along with either $13.875 million more in 2018 (total of $33.875 through two years) or a quick path to the open market if they choose not to pick up his roster bonus next year. He’ll add another $15.125 in 2019 — or he’ll get an early trip to the market if the Steelers opt not to pay the $2.5 million roster bonus.
The cap numbers generated by the new deal are $4.710 million in 2017, $17.675 million in 2018, $18.925 million in 2019, $15.1 million in 2020, and $15.8 million in 2021. Coupled with prior prorations, Brown’s total cap number for 2017 remains at $13.618 million.