The Tennessee Titans have decided to make Kevin Byard the highest-paid safety in the history of the NFL after agreeing to a five-year contract extension potentially worth $70.5 million on Wednesday.
Byard’s contract includes $31 million in guaranteed money and breaks the record set for a contract for safety which was previously shared by the Redskins’ Landon Collins.
It has been an incredible rise to the top by Byard, an unheralded prospect who played college football at Middle Tennessee State. He wasn’t invited to the NFL Combine and was drafted in the third round by the Tennessee Titans, a franchise he played college ball only 45 minutes away from.
Byard immediately became an important presence for Tennessee’s defense in 2016, his rookie season, playing in all 16 games and starting 7.
He really broke out, however, in 2017, when he was named a First-Team All-Pro selection after leading the Titans’ defense into the playoffs with 87 total tackles and 8 interceptions.
2018 wasn’t quite as spectacular for the 25-year-old strong safety, as his interception total dropped to 4 in a disappointing season for Tennessee. The franchise’s confidence in him, however, has never wavered.
Now, Byard will look to lead the Titans back to playoff contention in 2019 with a healthy new contract in hand.
