Vikings cornerback Marcus Sherels had a clause in his contract that paid him a $100,000 bonus if he led the league in punt return average. As of the end of the Vikings’ season on Sunday, Sherels was leading the league and was set to earn that money.
Then Tyreek Hill happened.
Hill returned a punt 95 yards for a touchdown on Sunday afternoon, after the Vikings’ game was over. Via Field Yates of ESPN, that return was the difference between Sherels earning that $100,000 bonus and not receiving it.
In the end, Sherels finished the season with 292 yards on 21 punt returns, an average of 13.9 yards per return. Hill finished with 592 yards on 39 punt returns, an average of 15.2 yards per return. But if not for that 95-yard return in Week 17, Hill would have averaged 13.1 yards and finished behind Sherels.
Every year there are NFL players who just miss out on performance incentives. But few miss out in as painful a fashion as Sherels, watching helplessly as another player’s highlight play costs him big money.
