They couldn't keep them all. Reed Blankenship knew it. He said so himself back in January.
The 27-year-old safety signed a three-year, $24.75 million (£18.4 million) contract with the Houston Texans on Monday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The deal includes $16.5 million (£12.3 million) in guaranteed money.
Four years ago, he got a $5,000 (£3,725) signing bonus as an undrafted free agent out of Middle Tennessee State. Now he's aSuper Bowlchampion walking into his prime with generational wealth.
But this isn't just a feel-good story about an underdog who made it. It's also about what he's leaving behind.
Blankenship and cornerback Cooper DeJean weren't just teammates. They co-host theExciting Micspodcast together. They wore matchingExciting WhitesT-shirts on national television. On HBO'sHard Knocks, Blankenship joked that they were 'a married couple'.
So when the news broke Monday night, DeJean's reaction was immediate.
'Damn, gonna miss my dawg,' he wrote on X, adding a red heart emoji. 'Go be great brotha.'
Damn, gonna miss my dawg. Go be great brotha❤️https://t.co/UUiJFUFieX
He'd seen it coming. Earlier this offseason, DeJean was asked about the possibility of Blankenship leaving.
'It's going to be a little different if he's not back,' DeJean said. 'Obviously, just a guy I've spent a lot of time with. We've got a great connection on and off the field. But he's gotta do what's best for him and his family.'
Source: International Business Times UK
