Houston Texans, RB Arian Foster agree to revised $43.5 million 5-year contract-NFL News
A breakthrough in talks between Houston Texans and running back, Arian Foster, has finally resolved the deal issue of the player as both parties are reported to have agreed to a revised five-year contract.
Foster was set to become an unrestricted free agent after the trade deadline of March 13, 2012, but his agent, Mike McCartney, has said the latest agreement between the two sides has enabled him to stay with Texans for five more years.
The deal is reported to be of worth $43.5 million to be paid over the span of five years. It also includes the guarantee money of $20.75 million.
In addition, he stands an opportunity of making $18 million in his base salary over the next season, which will be accompanied by some additional benefits that remain unknown so far.
McCartney, while confirming the deal, said it was very difficult to find a common ground between the two parties and the process proved to be very hectic one.
He said:
"This was a really tough time for Arian, because he took a major risk. He really took to heart that the Texans basically said, 'Hey, we know you had a great year (in 2010), but we need to see it again.' I give the Texans credit. He was restricted, at a low
salary. It would've been really easy for them to just sit back and see what happened."
Yet he was pleased with Arian’s way of handling the whole situation. He said:
"He handled the whole situation with great class. He was a great example of how to handle these kinds of situations, and to see the Texans reward him like this, I'm really thrilled for him. He's definitely excited about it.”
In the last National Football League (NFL) season, the player had tremendous contribution in the team’s most successful run in the franchise’s history as Texans won the American Football Conference (AFC) South division title and claimed a berth in the playoffs
for the first time.
Even though the issue of the expiring contract remained on the mind of the player, it never affected his form and performance.
Last year was the second good season for the player, consecutively, as he, in 2010, had finished at the top of the NFL by rushing for 1,616 yards. He ran for 1,224 yards in 2011 and sent 10 touchdown passes.
With the confirmation of his extended stay at the franchise, the player is expected to improve further and produce better results.
In 2009, he was an undrafted free agent and amassed $525,000 last year.
The agent has apparently hinted that Texans’ coach, Gary Kubiak, was interested in retaining the player.
Arian also wanted to keep playing under the head coach and therefore he wanted to get his deal redone by the management, instead of hitting the free agency market.
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