Look throughout the NFL and you'll see some players who will do anything and go anywhere for the money. Pay them the most and they'll sign on the dotted line, end of story. For others, there's more to the decision. Do they fit, what's the vibe, how's the organization. All those things factor in when making big life decisions like this.
That's the case for Stefon Diggs who not only got big money today but got to stay with an organization he likes, in a state he loves and with the teammates he appreciates for five more years after his rookie deal expires.
"I love it here," Stefon Diggs explained on Tuesday. "I truly do. I’m happy I’ll be here for awhile."
Diggs inked a five-year extension onto the end of his rookie deal that will pay him a guaranteed $40MM and upwards of $81MM throughout the full extent of the deal. It's that type of security that he shared will open some doors to take care of his mother, look out for his brothers and fulfill those promises that he made with his father a month before he passed away in 2008.
He also has a little more money to invest into his craft now too.
"I can invest a lot of money into my body now," Diggs explained when asked about his history of injuries. " I'll double up on my acupuncture, maybe get a hyperbaric chamber…things I’ve learned from our veterans."
Diggs figures to be a big of the offense this year with Kirk Cousins joining the fold the chuck that pigskin up in the air for Diggs and his counterpart Adam Thielen. With 200 catches for 2,472 yards and 15 touchdowns under his belt, Diggs hopes to become one of Kirk's favorite new targets quickly as well.
According to Kirk earlier in the day, he's doing a good job grabbing the QBs attention.
"I could stand up here a while and talk about Stef and all his attributes," Cousins said. "At the end of the day I love that he loves football and likes to work...He wants to work, he likes to practice, he likes to compete...Great natural hands, short area quickness and agility, long speed, ability to track the ball in the air really well. He's a seasoned veteran, understands the game, has played in big moments...you start to realize why there was a deal offered to him of the size that it was."
Whatever happens, both Diggs and Cousins figure to be in the mix long-term for the Vikings who are formulating one of the more impressive young cores on both offense and defense heading into the next handful of years.
“For me, if it was meant to be than it will happen," Diggs said in closing. "This is where I want to be. This is where my teammates are, my friends…we’ve built something special and I don’t want to leave."