Today In Patriots History July 20, 1995: Drew Bledsoe becomes highest paid player in NFL

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jmt57 said:

Today in Patriots History
Pats sign Drew Bledsoe
to record deal​

July 20, 1995:
On the same day that all Patriot players were to report to training camp at Bryant College, Robert Kraft makes Drew Bledsoe the NFL's highest paid player, signing the QB to a $42 million contract. The Pats also signed their top draft pick, rookie CB Ty Law of Michigan.

Patriots to sign Bledsoe; ink Law - UPI Archives

The New England Patriots Thursday signed quarterback Drew Bledsoe to a new contract worth a reported $42 million over seven years. The deal is believed to...

www.upi.com

SMITHFIELD, R.I., July 20 -- The New England Patriots Thursday signed quarterback Drew Bledsoe to a new contract worth a reported $42 million over seven years. The deal is believed to make Bledsoe the highest paid player in the National Football League and will keep him in a Patriots' uniform through the 2002 season.​

Bledsoe, the first overall selection in the 1993 draft, signed a six-year deal with the Patriots worth $14 million after being drafted, but the contract featured a special escape clause that allowed him to become a restricted free agent if he played in 10 games during the 1995 season. The Patriots started negotiating a long-term deal with Bledsoe after the quarterback led the team to the playoffs last year in only his second season. It marked the first time since 1986 that the Patriots made the playoffs. New England finished the year 10-6, but lost in the AFC Wild Card Game to Cleveland. The 6-5, 233-pound Bledsoe completed 400 of 691 passes for an NFL- best 4,555 yards and 25 touchdowns with 27 interceptions last year.​

The Patriots also signed Michigan defensive back Ty Law, their first round pick in the 1995 draft and 23rd overall selection, to a five-year contract worth between $3 and $7 million. The contract includes a signing bonus and is heavy on incentives. The 5-11, 196-pound Law started all three of his seasons at Michigan and entered the draft after his junior year. He had 56 tackles and two interceptions last year. Law had six interceptions and 50 tackles in 1993 and was named All Big Ten.​

The Patriots also announced that linebacker Todd Collins has informed the team that he is retiring from football. The 25-year-old Collins endured an injury-plagued three-year career with the Patriots.​

Before the above contract expired, the Patriots would sign Bledsoe to another record contract, in 2001. With the benefit of hindsight some of the comments from that '01 signing have turned into freezing cold takes.

Bledsoe signs 10-year extension with Pats

BOSTON – Drew Bledsoe signed the biggest contract in NFL history Wednesday, agreeing to a 10-year, $103 million deal that virtually guarantees he will spend his entire career with the same team.​

The deal surpasses the reported 10-year, $100 million contract signed by Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre only last Friday. It also gives Bledsoe a chance to do something Favre and most other athletes never could: stay with one team for their careers.​

"I've expressed over and over again my desire to play my entire career with the New England Patriots," Bledsoe said. "It looks like that is a very real possibility."​

Patriots owner Bob Kraft said Bledsoe has a chance to be remembered in Boston like Ted Williams, Bill Russell and Larry Bird, each having played his entire career in the city.​

"I remember feeling sad when Bobby Orr left," Kraft said of the NHL Hall of Famer who left Boston for Chicago near the end of his career. "I saw this as an opportunity to sign one of the great Patriots for the rest of his career."​

Bledsoe was scheduled to make $7.6 million this season, but his contract would have counted for $9.8 million under the salary cap. The new deal, which runs through the 2010 season, saves only about $1.5 million under this year's cap. But, unlike some other high-profile signings, the money is spread relatively evenly over the contract -- without a balloon payment that could require another restructuring in a few years.​

Click to expand...

Bob knows the importance of having a star, going back to the Lobsters and Martina. And he loves Drew, for good reason, Drew's a great guy. With CMGI about to open in a year, Bob wanted security for the future.

But Drew's performance was on the decline, and his weaknesses were getting worse. He was still very productive, as evidenced by his stats in Buffalo and Dallas, but it was clear to me the team wasn't winning unless they pulled the reincarnation of Jim Nance out of a hat.

I think the important thing is that Bob Kraft takes action and makes moves. They don't always work, but he is a model of determination. He did the Hartford deal because Mass was never going to throw him a bone any more than they would have for Billy Sullivan. And he wound up calling the state's, and the league's, bluff.

Oh, and he hired some guy named Belichick.