Patriots Hand Brady NFL's Top Contract

The "Golden Boy" got a golden ticket yesterday, turning around what had threatened to be a rather crappy day. Just hours after a two-car accident earned him a brief ride in an ambulance, the Patriots awarded Tom Brady a new four-year deal that will make him the highest-paid player in football, in terms of average salary, according to the AP. The deal guarantees Brady $48.5 million, and carries an average annual salary of $18 million (Eli Manning makes an average $16.25 million; brother Peyton currently makes $14 million).

Brady made it to practice despite the accident, and had no visible injuries. He says he intends to keep playing even after this deal expires—at which point he'll be 37. "I think we're fortunate to get paid for something that we love," he told reporters Wednesday. "That's why I want to do it for a long time. Everything else in my life pales in comparison to how much I love this." (More Tom Brady stories.)