Seahawks Finalise Record $132 Million Extension for Witherspoon
The four-year deal includes over $101 million in guaranteed funds, resolving negotiations that extended through training camp and following the team’s Super Bowl LX victory.
The Seattle Seahawks have reached a four-year, $132 million contract extension with cornerback Devon Witherspoon, securing the highest-paid player at his position in National Football League history. The agreement, confirmed by sources to ESPN, includes more than $101 million in guaranteed money, establishing an average annual value of $33 million. The deal was finalised on Saturday, coinciding with the team’s opening preseason match against the Dallas Cowboys.
The extension concludes negotiations that had persisted into training camp, with Witherspoon continuing to practice without a new contract in place. The delay was attributed to the team’s focus on other roster priorities, including the March agreement that made wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history. Complications also arose from parallel negotiations involving New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez, who shares an agent with Witherspoon and was also seeking a top-of-the-market deal.
Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald highlighted Witherspoon’s professionalism during the protracted talks, noting the cornerback’s ability to compartmentalise business discussions while maintaining focus on performance. Witherspoon, 25, echoed this sentiment in a recent episode of the league’s Hard Knocks series, stating he remained unbothered by the financial negotiations and prioritised preparation for the regular season.
Witherspoon’s contract cements his status as a franchise cornerstone, following a pivotal role in the Seahawks’ Super Bowl LX victory. During the championship game, he recorded a sack on Patriots quarterback Drake Maye and delivered a critical hit that facilitated a pick-six by Uchenna Nwosu. His defensive contributions were instrumental in a unit that allowed the fewest points in the 2025 season, helping Seattle secure a 29-13 win over New England.
Drafted fifth overall in 2023 via a pick acquired from the Denver Broncos in the Russell Wilson trade, Witherspoon has been named to the Pro Bowl initial ballot in each of his first three seasons. He is the fourth player in franchise history to achieve this milestone and was recently named one of the Seahawks’ 50 greatest players of all time during the team’s 50th-season commemoration. The new extension supersedes the fifth-year option the team exercised for the 2027 season, which carried a value of approximately $21.2 million.
