Jason Pierre-Paul, the defensive end who lost a finger and damaged his right hand in a 2015 fireworks accident, signed a four-year NFL contract Friday with the New York Giants.
The deal for the star pass rusher is reportedly worth $62 million with $40 million of it guaranteed and another $4 million possible through incentive clauses.
That’s not a bad fate for a player who thought his career might be over 20 months ago after losing his right index finger and hurting his hand in a July 4 US Independence Day mishap involving fireworks.
In the season after the accident, Pierre-Paul played only eight games and made just 26 tackles and only one sack. He played last year on a $10 million one-year deal.
“This is where I wanted to be,” Pierre-Paul said. “I couldn’t imagine me being anywhere else. I’m back for four years and I’m ready to get after it. It means a lot to me, because I started here and obviously I want to finish here.”
In 95 games over seven NFL seasons, all with the Giants, Pierre-Paul has made 365 tackles, with 50 quarterback sacks, and forced 11 fumbles as well as intercepting two passes and returning them both for touchdowns.
Pierre-Paul, 28, helped the Giants win Super Bowl 46 in 2012, defeating New England 21-17 at Indianapolis for their fourth Super Bowl crown.
“We won a Super Bowl here and I’m looking forward to putting a fifth trophy in the case,” Pierre-Paul said.
The move allows the Giants more room under NFL salary cap rules after having signed Pierre-Paul to a franchise tag last month, which would have given him a one-year deal in 2017 for almost $17 million. Without it, the team had less than $4,000 in cap space.
“We’re happy to get a long-term deal with Jason,” Giants general manager Jerry Reese said. “Not only is he one of our best players, he is one of our leaders.”
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