Shortly after signing a huge contract extension, Allen Hurns got a text from one of his fellow Jacksonville Jaguars receivers:
“So where we going to eat?”
Hurns can afford to take the entire receiving group anywhere.
The third-year pro signed a four-year extension worth $40 million with the Jaguars on Thursday, according to a person familiar with the process.
The deal includes $20 million guaranteed, said the person who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the Jaguars don’t release contract details. Pro Football Talk first reported the extension.
“It means a lot,” Hurns said during a conference call with reporters. “It’s a special moment with my family. It’s a blessing, man. Just seeing my story, where I started from, it is very exciting for me right now. It still feels surreal. But at the end of the day, I still feel like I need to continue to prove myself.”
The former Miami Hurricanes standout has 115 receptions for 1,708 yards and 16 touchdowns in two seasons, making him the best undrafted rookie to ever sign with Jacksonville.
Hurns caught 64 passes for 1,031 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2015, becoming the youngest undrafted player in NFL history to register 1,000-plus yards receiving and 10-plus touchdowns in a season. Hurns also caught a touchdown in seven consecutive games, the longest streak in franchise history.
General manager Dave Caldwell called the deal “very well deserved.”
“He is an extremely hard-working player and is so dedicated to his craft,” Caldwell said. “Since the day he arrived, he’s been a consummate professional and is a great representative of the Jaguars in the community.
“He continues to impress our coaching staff on a daily basis and has certainly earned the respect of his teammates. Our organizational philosophy is to reward our homegrown players when the opportunity presents itself. (Hurns) is a clear example of that.”
Signing Hurns gives the Jaguars a jump on what should be a busy offseason in 2017. Quarterback Blake Bortles, receiver Allen Robinson, center Brandon Linder and linebacker Telvin Smith will be eligible for contract extensions.
“Dave just told me how much he appreciates me and this was no-brainer for him,” Hurns said. “He wanted to show other guys that if you work the way you’re supposed to work and you go out there and produce, that he’s going to take care of his guys that he brought it. … It’s a great time right now just seeing where this organization is headed.”
For now, though, Hurns just has to worry about taking his guys to dinner.
“Maybe we will go somewhere like Chipotle,” he said.
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