The Chicago Bears held a press conference on Thursday to officially announce Brandon Marshall’s new three-year, $30 million extension, and Marshall became overwhelmed emotionally while speaking about the new deal.
Marshall broke into tears as he thanked team ownership, his agent, coaches and teammates. He then joked that his crying made it seem like he was announcing his retirement.
“It feels like a retirement thing right now,” Marshall joked as the room erupted with laughter. “But it means a lot to me, so I just want to thank everybody. It’s not really about me. It’s about the people around me. Anybody who has been successful, it’s about the team. It’s about having the right people on the bus and the right people in the right seats.”
Marshall became emotional as he discussed the “career saving” move that brought him to the Bears from Miami and reunited him with Jay Cutler.
Below is the video of the press conference:
“I probably wouldn’t even be having the success that I’m having on the field in that environment (in Miami),” he said, per Dan Wiederer of The Chicago Tribune. “It wasn’t right for me. So I get back with my buddy Jay and having his leadership and his brotherly love really helped. But it was also the people. … For me it’s a safe environment.”
The 30-year-old signed his extension during an appearance on “The View” earlier this week to raise awareness for mental health. Marshall, who has been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, vowed to donate $1 million to the mental health community.
