It took awhile, but the New York Giants and star receiver Victor Cruz where finally able to reach agreement on a new contract extension earlier today that’s said to be worth $43 million over five-years. The deal is actually said to be added on to Cruz’s current one-year, $2.879 million restricted tender he signed on June 14th. Thus making the entire contract a six-year deal worth $45.879 million.
The contract is a deserving one for Cruz, who is coming off a season in which he had 86 receptions for 1,092 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns that led to a Pro Bowl berth. His reception total was the second-highest total in Giants history and he set the Pro Bowl game record with 10 receptions in the NFC’s 62-35 thumping of the AFC.
Cruz has been one of the NFL’s very best receivers the last two years in which he has grabbed 168 receptions for 2,628 receiving yards that comes out to a 15.6-yard average to go with 19 touchdowns. He also had a ridiculous 21 receptions for 269 receiving yards and a touchdown in Super Bowl XLVI for the Giants championship victory.
His new contract is a win-win for both sides to, as it allows Cruz’s agent to advertise the extension being worth $8.6 million annually and putting him knocking on the door of a top-10 receiver. Even though in reality the entire deal is worth under a team-friendly $8 million per year. Either way it’s advertised Cruz said that he felt “relief” after signing the new deal and that he’s glad to not only still be playing with the Giants, but close to his home of Paterson, N.J.
“It was very important, not just for the team and the Giants, but for my family being from here, for the people from Paterson, for the kids who look up to me in this area,” said Cruz. “All of that played a part into this and it was very important for me. I knew that in order for me to continue to be a role model in an exponential way for these children, I would have to stay a Giant.”
Even if you aren’t a fan of the Giants or from the Paterson area yourself you gotta feel proud and like the great underdog story Cruz has become after going from an undrafted player to where he is now and to get a contract of this magnitude. It gives all other “regular joes” and underdogs hope to follow their dreams and aspirations to eventually make them reality whether it makes you that much money or not. This is definitely a great story many of us can relate to and would love to see more of.