Rugged quarterback Colin Kaepernick signed a lucrative contract extension with the San Francisco 49ers that could bring him as much as $126 million (an average payout of $21 million per year or roughly $1.3 million per game) over a six year period.
According to Sports Illustrated, the $61 million guaranteed portion of the agreement is the most ever guaranteed to an NFL player in the league’s history. The contract will bond the multi-talented field general to the 49ers through 2020. Like almost all NFL player contracts, base salaries and guarantees are always tied to ability to perform in one’s position and Kaepernick’s is no exception.
ProFootballTalk reported that Kaepernick’s base salary, which ranges from $12.4 million in 2015 to $21 million in 2020, is guaranteed for injury only. The guarantee of being paid the entire base only locks in if Kaepernick is still on the roster on April 1 of every year. Further, there are built in salary decreases of $2 million if Collin fails to take at least 80 percent of the snaps in any year. Other circumstances could subject Kaepernick’s salary to downward revision such as failing to be selected as a first- or second-team All-Pro or that the team does not make the Super Bowl.
Along with workout bonuses and up to $2 million per year in game performance bonuses, Kaepernick’s contract also requires him to purchase a $20,000,000 disability insurance policy that will pay the 49ers if he endures a career-ending injury.
Nevertheless, the tattooed sensation is quite pleased with the new deal and expressed that to be able to play football and to receive this kind of compensation is “amazing” and that he is “very grateful for it. There have been too many people that have helped me get to this position, from the organization to my family to Coach Harbaugh.”
Moreover, he thanked his agents and teammates especially quarterback Alex Smith, who Kaepernick replaced in 2011 when Smith got a concussion forcing Collin to take over the position. He said about the current Kansas City Chief quarterback that “the time I spent with him. I don’t think I would have been able to be at this point so quickly if he hadn’t been such a great mentor to me and helped me along with things. So, I’m very grateful for my teammates as well. I wouldn’t be here without them.”
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