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Cardinals’ Mathieu signs big contract on ‘proud day’

An injured Arizona Cardinals' Tyrann Mathieu watches from the sideline during practice at the NFL football team's training camp Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2016, in Glendale, Ariz. The Cardinals and All-Pro defensive back Mathieu have agreed to a five-year, $62.5 million contract extension, with $40 million guaranteed, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) An injured Arizona Cardinals' Tyrann Mathieu watches from the sideline during practice at the NFL football team's training camp Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2016, in Glendale, Ariz. The Cardinals and All-Pro defensive back Mathieu have agreed to a five-year, $62.5 million contract extension, with $40 million guaranteed, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

By Associated Press August 3, 2016 1 min read

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) – On what he called “a proud day,” Tyrann Mathieu added a rich chapter to his remarkable comeback story by signing a five-year, $62.5 million contract extension Wednesday.

The deal makes him one of the highest-paid defensive backs in the game.

Although an initial report put Mathieu’s guaranteed money at $40 million, a person close to the situation clarified that the player was guaranteed $21.25 million at signing, including a $15.5 million signing bonus. The rest of the money is “guaranteed” if he’s on the team in later years of the deal. The person asked for anonymity because the details had not been officially released.

Still, it is a big reward for a do-everything All-Pro defender who was considered such a high risk by many when Arizona selected him in the third round of the 2013 draft.

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL