The Vikings coaching staff was pleased with how left tackle Riley Reiff played last season, and the front office just rewarded him before a potential return to the negotiating table.
Vikings add $1 million bonus to Riley Reiff's contract, making up for lost incentive
A positive COVID test prevented the left tackle from playing in the Jan. 3 season finale and reaching a playing-time incentive.
February 11, 2021 at 5:49PM
Reiff had a $1 million signing bonus added to his contract, a league source confirmed, to make up for money lost through playing-time incentives when Reiff was held out of the Vikings' season finale win in Detroit due to a positive COVID test. NFL Media first reported the news.
Reiff's absence dropped his season playing time to 92.6%, below the 93.75% required in his previous contract for $1 million. The team captain hadn't missed a snap prior to the Week 17 win, and he'd already earned $1 million for reaching 86% playing time.
The Vikings' good faith effort partially refills Reiff's pockets after he had accepted a $5 million pay cut before the season opener, when general manager Rick Spielman acquired defensive end Yannick Ngakoue and needed salary cap room.
Reiff, 32, is still scheduled to enter a contract year with a $5 million roster bonus due March 19, which is a deadline for the Vikings to decide on his future with the team. The recent signing bonus may be a precursor to extension talks. Before March 19, Reiff has nothing guaranteed in the $11.65 million he's scheduled to earn in 2021.
In October, during Reiff's only media availability of the season, he said he takes his playing career "hour by hour."
"My teammates, coaches. I love playing here in Minnesota," Reiff said. "Midwest, tough. I like this division. I'm grateful to be here."
Head coach Mike Zimmer, quarterback Kirk Cousins and newly-retired coordinator Gary Kubiak all praised Reiff's fourth season in Minnesota, during which he was tabbed with allowing one sack by Pro Football Focus.
"What a tremendous job he did this year," Cousins said after the Jan. 3 win in Detroit. "He wasn't able to be there [Jan. 3], but just had a great year as a ninth-year pro, was there every single day and played at a really high level."
Andrew Krammer is joined by Matthew Coller of Purple Insider to discuss the Vikings offense, what they think of Justin Fields and the Bears, and they talk what's been expected and unexpected through four games.
