Gore contract a rare and beautiful thing

Apr/01/07 02:28 PM Filed in: Frank Gore
It is a beautiful thing in the NFL when player, agent and team come together to make a deal happen without any badmouthing, posturing, holdout threats or actions, me-first attitudes or even disregard for market value. This is exactly what has happened between the 49ers and running back Frank Gore. Although minor details still need to be arranged, the two sides came to terms earlier this week on what appears to be a reasonable contract for all parties.

Reportedly, the deal is worth approximately $27 million, about $14 million of which is guaranteed money. By all accounts, that money is a large payday for the next five years, but in a market where offensive linemen are getting bonuses of $17 million, it really seems like quite a reasonable contract for a player who rushed for nearly 1,700 yards last season.

Before heavy negotiations were underway, Gore's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, suggested that his client would only sign a contract that would make him the highest-paid back in the league. Admittedly, then, there was some minor posturing. But that was the last antagonistic remark from either party, likely because of Gore putting his foot down toward Rosenhaus, whom he had hired last year with the specific task of getting a good deal done. Not that Gore would have any problem with getting that kind of deal, but he had other priorities.
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