Todd Gurley and the Los Angeles Rams have reached a new four-year contract agreement, confirmed by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The Rams made the announcement on Tuesday, revealing that Gurley’s extension will tie him to the team until 2023, without disclosing specific terms of the deal. A source close to the situation disclosed that the contract is valued at $60 million, with a hefty $45 million guaranteed, marking the highest guaranteed amount ever for a running back.
Additionally, Gurley will receive a $20 million signing bonus, the most lucrative annual average for any running back. This sets a new standard for other running backs seeking new contracts, including Arizona’s David Johnson and Dallas’ Ezekiel Elliott.
The contract drew attention from Pittsburgh Steelers’ standout, Le’Veon Bell, who has yet to secure a long-term deal with his team, receiving franchise tags in consecutive seasons.
Bell, set to earn $14.5 million this season with his franchise tag, congratulated Gurley in a tweet and subtly referenced his own contract situation in a subsequent post.
At 23 years old, Gurley was already under contract with the Rams until 2019, slated to earn $9.63 million under the fifth-year option of his rookie deal.
Gurley’s deal comes on the heels of the Rams recently signing wide receiver Brandin Cooks to a five-year, $80 million extension. When asked about the impact of Gurley’s contract on negotiations with star defensive tackle Aaron Donald, Rams GM Les Snead stated, “You work on everything simultaneously, but you don’t know when you’re going to get something done or not because it’s case by case.”
