Atlanta Falcons cornerback AJ Terrell has just inked a monumental deal, signing a four-year contract extension on Thursday.
While the financial specifics were kept under wraps by the team, multiple media outlets have reported that this significant extension is valued at a whopping $81 million.
Heading into 2024, Terrell was slated to earn $12.34 million as part of the fifth-year option on his rookie contract. Yet, he remained focused and unbothered about financial matters during training camp, expressing in July that his contract status was a non-issue for him.
Reports from the NFL Network and ESPN reveal that the contract includes an impressive $65.8 million in guarantees. This substantial amount positions Terrell as the league’s second-highest-paid cornerback, just behind Jaire Alexander of the Green Bay Packers.
“We are very pleased to be able to extend this extension to AJ, who is certainly deserving of it,” said Falcons General Manager Terry Fontenot. “He is a homegrown player who embodies the characteristics and traits we want in the Falcons. He leads by example with his work ethic and, as a great teammate, does everything he can to help this team continue to win.”
There were early indicators that a deal was in the making as early as March, during the NFL’s spring meeting in Florida, when Fontenot applauded the team’s top cornerback.
“The great thing about AJ is I remember the first day he came here several years ago. He was one of the first people I saw in the building and he’s been there the whole time and he still is,” Fontenot continued. “He’s a hard worker, a consummate professional, that’s what excites you because it’s a tough position… The way he works makes him grow constantly and that’s important.”
At just 25, Terrell has already established himself as an indispensable asset on the field. Selected as the 16th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Clemson, he earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2021. Known for his physical presence in the secondary, Terrell has racked up impressive stats: 247 tackles, 43 pass breakups, and four forced fumbles over his 61 career games—all starts. Notably, he’s managed this without an interception in the past two seasons, underscoring his prowess and consistency on the field.
With this extension, AJ Terrell isn’t just securing his future; he’s cementing his place as one of the NFL’s elite cornerbacks, poised to continue dominating the defensive landscape for the Atlanta Falcons.
