The details of Aaron Hernandez' contract extension are now known, and the third-year tight end will receive the largest signing bonus ever for someone at his position at $12.5 million, sweetening a deal that will keep him in New England through 2018.
Hernandez will still make base salaries under $1 million the next two seasons, but after that, he's added a five-year, $40 million extension, which includes $16 million of guaranteed money. Hernandez will be making more per year and features more guaranteed money than Rob Gronkowski, who renegotiated his deal to make him the then-fifth-highest paid tight end to the league in June. However, Hernandez' deal is a year shorter.
All in all, not a bad haul for a player who was a fourth-round pick just two years ago. It's not a bad time to be a tight end in Foxboro, as Tom Brady has made it clear on the field that he likes throwing to the duo and the Patriots have rewarded them both substantially off it.
Hernandez asked that a $50,000 donation be given to the Myra Kraft Foundation in his contract to thank the Patriots' owner, Robert Kraft, for drafting him and agreeing to negotiate the extension.
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