“Are you serious,” Chargers running back Austin Ekeler said when he found out from his agent Cameron Weiss that he was receiving a contract extension for four years worth $24.5 million.
Ekeler was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Western Colorado College in 2017. From that time through the 2019 season, he made a little north of $1.5 million.
But after proving to be one of the league’s best dual-threat running backs, the 23-year old received a well-deserved raise last week, inking him through the 2024 season.
Proving to man the No. 1 role while Melvin Gordon held out early on, Ekeler amassed 557 rushing yards on 132 attempts with three touchdowns and added 92 receptions for 993 receiving yards and eight receiving scores in 2019.
For his efforts, he’s getting paid like a top offensive player. But even though he’s getting a heftier paycheck, Ekeler knows the money isn’t going to have an affect on the player he is.
“One of the things that’s crazy about the NFL is when I got to camp, I’m sitting in a room with guys who make $10 million a year. I see what everyone’s making, and I said, ‘Dang! That’s a lot of money!’ That’s why I’m laughing when Cameron tells me about the deal—it just didn’t seem real that I’d be making that money.
“You know how people say, ‘More money, more problems.’ I think money exemplifies your true character. It’s going to bring out the person I truly am. I live in the moment. The best chance you have to succeed is living in the moment—nothing matters except what you do to be better now. That’s who I am. That’s who I’ll continue to be.”
With Gordon set to hit the free agency market, Ekeler sits atop of the depth chart. It’s uncertain if the Chargers will bring in another body to join him and Justin Jackson. Regardless, he has proven to thrive no matter how or how much he is used.