Steve Weatherford gets franchise tag from New York Giants after playing for just one season–NFL News
On the last day to put the franchise tag on players, New York Giants assigned their tag to punter, Steve Weatherford, on Monday, March 5, 2012, and guaranteed his stay for at least one more year with the franchise.
If Weatherford still joins any other team, Giants will be compensated by giving two picks in the upcoming National Football League (NFL) drafts.
According to different reports, Weatherford will earn around $2.5 million in 2012.
Weatherford, 29, started his professional NFL career in 2006 with New Orleans Saints.
After playing three seasons with Saints, he moved to Kansas City Chiefs and later joined Jacksonville Jaguars. His next destination was New York Jets and after which he joined hands with Giants.
He has only played one season with Giants and was fortunate to win the Super Bowl.
In the regular season, he managed 82 punts for 3,745 yards and in the postseason, he recorded 22 punts and gained 999 yards.
Weatherford has expressed satisfaction over the decision and it is unlikely that he will move to any other team.
He said after receiving the tag:
“I'm super excited to know that I will be with the Giants for at least one more season.”
Giants can also work out a long-term deal with Weatherford in the months to come. While appreciating the franchise, Weatherford hoped that he would get a long-term deal in the future.
Weatherford said:
“This is a great franchise and a great organisation, really the best I've been with. so it’s very exciting to know that I will be back. I think the franchise tag is a step that needed to be taken to continue to work together on a long term deal.”
He added:
“I want to be with the Giants for a long time and I really think the feeling is mutual, so hopefully something can get worked out long term and I can be a Giant for another four, five or 10 years.”
All the league players who have received franchise tag from their respective teams will start signing their contract from March 13.
After agreeing to play under the tag, the players will then have an opportunity to negotiate a long-term deal with the franchise and sign a new contract sometime during the next regular season.
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