Jordan Whitehead signed a restructured one-year contract to remain with the New York Jets last offseason, and the deal included some performance-based incentives. The veteran defensive back needed only a single game to cash in one of them.
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen threw three interceptions against the Jets on Monday night. Whitehead was on the receiving end of all of them. By picking off three passes, Whitehead earned a $250,000 incentive from the Jets.
It’s extremely rare for a player to hit an incentive in Week 1 of the regular season, but Jets S Jordan Whitehead did exactly that.
His 3 interceptions earned him a $250,000 bonus.
Arguably the most impactful player on the field during an unusual Week 1 opener. pic.twitter.com/hQEIqCtVY1
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) September 12, 2023
You almost never see that happen. The idea behind performance-based incentives like that one is that the player will likely reach them if he produces at a high level for most of the season. Whitehead has never had more than two interceptions in a season, so it makes sense that his $250,000 number was three.
The Jets pulled off a 22-16 upset in overtime. Whitehead was probably most pleased to help his team win on a night where their quarterback suffered a season-ending injury right out of the gate. Still, it must feel pretty great to cash in on a big bonus that early in the season.
