Michael Thomas is going to be even more upset.
The Saints receiver bristled at the news that the Tony Romo will make $17 million per year under his new deal with CBS. Andrew Marchand of the New York Post now reports that the deal is worth $18 million per year, over 10 years.
It’s actually $17.5 million per year in salary, with other perks valued at $500,000 per year. Romo’s initial three-year deal with CBS paid out a total of $10 million.
ESPN, which wanted to pursue Romo but never got a chance to officially do so because CBS re-signed him before ESPN could try, has reported that Romo’s new deal covers the next three seasons only, and that the next seven become triggered by a new CBS deal to broadcast NFL games.
If CBS keeps the NFL, CBS keeps Romo. And Romo makes $180 million over 10 years. Or, putting it another way, $40 million more than what Jerry Jones paid to buy the Cowboys in 1989.
Based on the sheer magnitude of the deal, Romo will be facing higher expectations -- and greater criticism -- than ever before. There will be natural resentment within some media circles, and every mistake or misstatement or “oooooo” and “eeeeeee” will make folks more likely to call him out.
Of course, for $18 million per year over 10 years, getting criticized for mistakes and misstatements and saying “oooooo” and “eeeeee” is a small price to pay.