Cork Gaines of Business Insider posted an interesting graphic Wednesday. But if you're Cam Newton, you'd probably use a word other than "interesting."
As the final No. 1 pick of the old CBA, quarterback Sam Bradford was grandfathered into a system that let him score a 6-year, $78 million contract before he even played a down. $50 million of that was guaranteed.
When the Panthers used their top pick on Newton a year later, the new CBA limited him to a 4-year, $22 million deal. Since then, Newton has won an MVP award and led his team to the Super Bowl. Bradford has never had a winning season.
They've also each signed two contracts. Newton went first, landing a 5-year, $104 million extension last summer. On Tuesday, the Eagles resigned Bradford to a 2-year deal worth $36 million, with $22 million initially guaranteed.
While Newton's second contract dwarfs Bradford's and includes two more years, here's what's wild: If Bradford receives the full payout from his second deal, he's set to make nearly $20 million more than Newton through their first eight seasons.
As you'd likely suspect, the graph of career earnings paints a different picture than this one of career stats through the 2015 season: