A couple weeks ago, we explained that some league insiders were scratching their heads about how the salary-cap strapped Pittsburgh Steelers worked out a massive six-year, $51.175 million contract with Pro Bowl linebacker James Harrison this offseason.
Finally, the AFC North blog has the details.
Here are the key points:
* Harrison received a $10-million signing bonus up front and a $2.555-million roster bonus for this year.
* Harrison's base salary in 2009 is $800,000.
* In 2010, which could be an uncapped year, the contract gets tricky as Harrison's base salary drops to $755,000. But he also has a reporting bonus of $2.8 million.
* In 2011, Harrison's salary jumps to $3.66 million and includes $900,000 roster bonus.
* In years four, five and six Harrison's salary balloons to $5.315 million, $6.32 million and $7.325 million, respectively.
Our analysis of Harrison's contract is he will be a Pittsburgh Steeler for at least the next three years. Once year four comes around, Harrison will be a 35-year-old linebacker, and the team will have to gauge his level of play at that point versus the increasingly high salary.
Cristiano Ronaldo
12 million Euros.
Ha hahahahahahaahahahaahaha ha
1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) 12M
2. Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) 11.5M
3. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) 11m
4. Yaya Toure (Manchester City) 10.8M
5. Samuel Etoo (Inter Milan) 10.5M
6. Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich) 9.7M
7. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) 9M
8. Kaka (Real Madrid) 9M
9. John Terry (Chelsea) 9M
10. Emmanuel Adebayor (Manchester City) 9M