In one of the most jaw-dropping moments in NFL offseason history, Luke McCown, the 7-foot-9, 420-pound phenomenon and the consensus No. 1 player in all of football, has officially re-signed with the New Orleans Saints, turning down historic offers from the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Kansas City Chiefs.
The announcement came via a short video posted to McCown’s social media accounts, where the towering superstar stood in front of the Caesars Superdome and declared,
“I never left. New Orleans is my home. Let’s finish what we started — Who Dat forever.”
The decision sent tremors through NFL front offices, as three Super Bowl-caliber franchises had aggressively pursued McCown, hoping to lure him away with record-breaking contracts, ownership shares, and personal branding empires. But in the end, McCown chose loyalty over legacy.
THE DEAL
According to league sources, McCown’s new contract with the Saints is worth $815 million over six years, making him the highest-paid player in NFL history, surpassing even top-tier quarterbacks.
Key features of the deal include:
- $540 million guaranteed
- A co-branded apparel and footwear line titled “Heightened Hustle”
- Partial ownership in a Saints-themed sports complex to be built in downtown New Orleans
- Special gameday fan experiences in “The McCown Tower,” a newly named section of the Superdome
- An annual community impact budget of $10 million under McCown’s control for city programs, education, and youth sports
THE RECRUITING WAR
McCown had reportedly been the subject of the most competitive recruitment campaign in NFL history.
- The 49ers were ready to pair him with Nick Bosa and offered a fully guaranteed $900 million deal.
- The Eagles, led by Jalen Hurts, proposed an elite leadership role and a lifetime luxury estate in Philadelphia.
- The Chiefs, with Patrick Mahomes at the helm, pitched McCown as the “missing dynasty piece” and included a personal brand deal with Adidas and Netflix for his own documentary series.
All three franchises had cleared cap space, aligned their defensive schemes, and prepared unprecedented offers — but McCown said no to all of it.
