Some players have more to play for than others in Week 17. Emmanuel Sanders is one of them, and he knew exactly what he was after.
The New Orleans Saints wide receiver came into Sunday’s game needing eight catches to reach 60 on the season. That mark was hugely important to him, as hitting it would activate a $500,000 contract bonus.
Sanders was a busy man for most of Sunday as a result, with quarterback Drew Brees seeming to know about the incentive too. Sanders had racked up seven catches with a touchdown by the third quarter, and then managed to nab his eighth on a sliding catch. And yes, Sanders knew it immediately — he began celebrating on the field.
Emmanuel Sanders just caught his 60th pass of the season, which activates a $500,000 bonus in his contract.
He knew immediately @ESanders_10 @Saints pic.twitter.com/z22lI3n3Qq
— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) January 3, 2021
There’s no begrudging Sanders here. Half a million dollars is a nice sum of cash, and when he was as close as he was to hitting the mark, he’s going to want to get there and make some extra money.
Sanders wasn’t the only player to achieve a big bonus thanks to his statistical incentives on Sunday.
