It’s not exactly Dirk Nowitzki giving up half his earning potential to help the Dallas Mavericks, but Tyron Smith’s contract shows how dedicated he is to the Dallas Cowboys.
One of the best left tackles in the NFL is now the highest-paid offensive lineman in the league, and he’s got the richest non-quarterback contract in the history of the franchise. So let’s not make him a martyr just yet. As he told reporters at training camp in Oxnard yesterday afternoon, “I’m going to be very comfortable.”
But make no mistake, Smith did the Cowboys a major favor by signing the eight-year, $97 million extension.
The length of the deal is twice more than Smith could’ve – and probably should’ve – signed. Smith, only 23, could have maximized his earning potential by signing a four-year deal and then negotiating a new contract in 2019 in his prime at a greatly inflated price. But Smith is loyal. He’s had trouble with a greedy family and owner Jerry Jones provided him security, both on and off the field.
Smith’s contract concession was a nod to how the Cowboys have treated him.
Said Smith in a statement released by Costa Sports Marketing:
Late last week, the Cowboys approached me with a deal I told my agents I wanted to sign. My agents explained the pros and cons of this deal versus one that may be shorter term and/or higher guarantee. After careful consideration, I decided this long term deal was exactly what I wanted. Over the past three years, the Cowboys organization and Jones Family have helped me through trying times and I felt this was my opportunity to return the gratitude. I am beyond grateful for the Cowboys staff, my teammates, and the fans, and wanted to ensure I was locked in as a “Cowboy for Life”. I want to thank everyone for their support and look forward to having a star on my helmet for the remainder of my career.
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Smith is a Pro Bowl player, and we all know how important left tackle is in the NFL. Obviously he’s set for life and has the security of knowing he’s a Cowboy for his career.
But given the discount, the Cowboys now have some extra elbow room to negotiate with Dez Bryant now and other players in the future.
A native Texan who was born in Duncanville and graduated from UT-Arlington, Richie Whitt has been a mainstay in the Metroplex media since 1986. He’s held prominent roles on all media platforms including newspaper (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), radio (105.3 The Fan) and TV (co-host on TXA 21 and numerous guest appearances, including NBC 5). He currently lives in McKinney with his wife, Sybil, and two very spoiled dogs.
