Danny Amendola has restructured his contract again for the Patriots, as first reported by Mike Garofalo, cementing his status in New England as a key clutch contributor for at least this season, and probably 2017 too (but of course it’s the Pats so you never know).
Danny Amendola restructured contract to stay w/ Patriots, source says. Two years, $7.35m with $750k more in roster bonuses/catch incentives.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) May 6, 2016
Amendola’s cap hit was $6.8 million and this should significantly bring that number down. Everyone kind of knew Amendola would be at crossroads this offseason once again, and there were some speculation that he wouldn’t be as amenable to re-doing his deal for the second time in two years.
But alas, Amendola proved that he truly does love being a Patriot and was willing to play ball with his salary to remain in New England. So many players say they just want to win, but when it comes down to the cold, hard cash of it all, they balk and take the biggest pay day they can.
Amendola came to the Patriots under the unfortunate cloud of being called “Wes Welker‘s replacement”. That’s a lot to live up to and was never fair to Amendola. Yes, he has similarities to Welker, and is certainly as good of a returner as Wes was, but Amendola is best suited not as an every down player, rather as a true slot receiver who plays a specific role.
When Amendola started returning kicks and punts in 2014 things really started to click for him as a Patriot. Then he started to get some confidence and began coming through with impossible catches in critical moments in big games.
Where Would Pats Be Without Danny?
Amendola deserves a lot of credit. The Patriots wouldn’t have won Super Bowl 49 without his contributions, including his touchdown pass against the Ravens and his touchdown catch against the Seahawks. But those memorable plays also block out some of the unbelievable regular season catches Amendola has come through with.
2015 against the Jets in Foxboro is one game that comes to mind, where an acrobatic catch by Amendola kept the chains moving in a tight game. Or his should’ve-been-a-TD punt return against the Giants that sparked a comeback win over the big blue for the first time since 2007’s 16-0 game. Or his 2014 game-winning touchdown catch against the Jets that he made while contorting his body in mid-air.
There is no shortage of highlight reel catches by Danny Amendola with the Patriots, that’s for sure.
Amendola’s done everything the Patriots have asked over his three years with the team and he’s battled through various injuries to come through in the clutch time and time again. It’s time to truly appreciate what he brings to the table, and I’m glad to definitely have him back at least for this season.
