With Miami Dolphins star cornerback Xavien Howard earning his third Pro Bowl selection, as announced on Wednesday, he also earned a $1 million bonus.
Howard and the Dolphins agreed to that number when he settled with the team on a restructured deal in training camp, ending his preseason trade request.
After his All-Pro 2020 season in which he led the NFL with 10 interceptions, Howard has put together another standout campaign. He has four interceptions, two forced fumbles, a pair of fumble recoveries, a touchdown, 40 tackles and 14 pass deflections.
Howard can be largely credited for two of the Dolphins’ first three wins and the ones that came against the toughest competition. Howard had the late forced fumble and recovery in Week 1 at New England to seal that victory, and his fumble return for a touchdown in the Nov. 11 win over the Baltimore Ravens sparked the Dolphins in that one.
His man-to-man coverage, along with opposite cornerback Byron Jones, has played a large role in allowing the Dolphins to freely blitz their safeties during their six-game winning streak entering Monday night’s game at the New Orleans Saints. Miami has trusted its corners in single coverage and increased the pressure it brings on opposing quarterbacks.
In addition to the $1 million bonus for a Pro Bowl or All-Pro season, as Howard’s agent, David Canter, told the South Florida Sun Sentinel when the restructure was negotiated, Howard is in line to receive other incentives. He gets $750,000 at each 70 and 80 percent of defensive snaps played and another $1 million at 90.
Howard missed one game, the loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, but he played 100 percent of snaps in eight games, more than 90 percent in three others and greater than 80 percent in the remaining two.
Howard’s fully guaranteed money for 2021, before incentives, was $12,785,294, and the maximum he can earn with incentives is $16,285,294.
In August, Howard became what is believed to be the first player in NFL history to have a deal redone or adjusted with four years left on the contract, according to Canter.
Other Pro Bowl notes
Howard was the only Dolphin to be selected on Wednesday night.
Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle may be on pace for a rookie receptions record with 86 and three games left to catch Anquan Boldin’s 2003 mark of 101, but he was not among the four AFC receivers initially selected.
Those were: Kansas City Chiefs’ Tyreek Hill, Cincinnati Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase, Buffalo Bills’ Stefon Diggs and Los Angeles Chargers’ Keenan Allen.
Chase was one of the rookies Miami passed up on in the past draft when it traded back from the No. 3 pick, which belonged to the Houston Texans, to select sixth after trades with the San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles that netted the Dolphins an extra future first-round pick. Another rookie selected ahead of Waddle in that exchange, Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts, also made the Pro Bowl in the NFC.
Source: Berkshire mont
Be First to Comment