Great News coming out of Kansas City!
Matt Cassel, a career backup in college and in the pros, parlayed a great 2008 season into a lucrative franchise tag. Now, he's locked himself into a deal to be the long-term quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Cassel and the Chiefs worked out a six-year deal that will pay him in excess of $10 million a season, according to a source. The contract will keep Cassel with the Chiefs until 2014.
The deal is for $63 million, with $28 million guaranteed, according to a source. He's going to make $40.5 million in the first three years of his contract.
Cassel was designated as the New England Patriots' franchise player in February and signed a one-year deal that paid him $14.561 million. He was then traded to the Chiefs along with linebacker Mike Vrabel for a second-round draft choice.
No one deserves this more than Cassel. Being a back-up to Matt Leinart and then Tom Brady had to have been frustrating, but now it looks like it has paid off. Having barely played any significant time in college and the pros until Brady went down in 2008 Cassel parlayed last season into a very lucrative contract.
And then there is the tie-in to USC...(Emphasis Mine)
"I go out there each and every day with that focus that I'm the starter," Cassel said during a June minicamp. "Competition brings out the best in everybody."
Now, where have we heard that before?
I guess even being the back-up at USC pays off!
We wish him luck.