A clause in quarterback Josh McCown’s one-year contract with the Jets will trigger a $125,000 bonus every time he starts for the team this season, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.
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McCown’s per-game bonus is believed to be one of the largest of its kind in the NFL, perhaps even the largest, according to Schefter.
The 38-year-old McCown will begin to collect the $125,000 increments on top to his $6 million in guaranteed money Sunday, as he’s slated to start at the Bills in Week 1.
But if the Jets lose a lot of games early in the season, as they’re expected to do, the bonus structure of McCown’s contract could incentivize the team to start one of their young arms – Christian Hackenberg or Bryce Petty – over him. For every start, they’ll not only have to write McCown a $125,000 check, but the money will also count against the team’s salary cap.