FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons officially announced Thursday they extended cornerback A.J. Terrell's contract through the 2028 season.
"We are very glad to be in the position to provide this extension for A.J., who is certainly well deserving of it," Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said. "A homegrown player, he embodies the characteristics and traits we want as a Falcon. He leads by example with his work ethic, and as a great teammate he does anything he can to help this team win on a continuous basis. We appreciate the support of our owner, Arthur Blank, for providing the resources to reward players who operate the right way."
The contract extension is reportedly a four-year deal worth $81 million, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. With $65.8 million "effectively fully guaranteed," the figure makes Terrell the second-highest paid cornerback ever.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the $65.8 million guarantee is the largest guarantee every given to a cornerback on a four-year deal.
Terrell was selected by the Falcons with the No. 16 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Atlanta picked up his fifth-year option in April 2023 for the 2024 season, but the possibility of reaching a long-term agreement with Terrell was a topic of conversation this offseason.
"What's cool about A.J. is I remember the first day that he got here several years ago, he was one of the first people I saw in the building, and he was constantly in the building and he's still like that," Fontenot said in March at the Annual League Meeting. "The worker, the consummate pro that he is, that's what you get excited because that's a hard position. ... The way that he works, he's just constantly growing, and that's important."
Ever since he joined, Terrell has been a constant on the Falcons' defense, playing and starting in 61 of a possible 67 games. His career totals include: 247 tackles, 43 pass breakups, four interceptions, four forced fumbles, a sack and a fumble recovery.
Terrell's impact was felt early on in his career. His first-ever interception came in the Falcons' Week 6 win against the Minnesota Vikings; he actually picked off current Atlanta quarterback Kirk Cousins in that game. Terrell forced a career-high three fumbles that year, too.
In his second season, Terrell really popped off, earning All-Pro second team honors from The Associated Press. He finished the 2021 season with 16 pass breakups — sixth-most in the league — three interceptions, 81 tackles and a sack. All still stand as career-high marks.
It was after his third season, in which he tallied 47 tackles, nine pass breakups and a fumble recovery, that the Falcons decided to move forward with Terrell's fifth-year option. The decision officially came April 28, 2023 – four days before the NFL's deadline for 2020 first-round draft picks.
Then, most recently in 2023, Terrell had 45 tackles and 11 pass breakups. Terrell has managed these numbers without a consistent partner, too. The Falcons have had a rotation of cornerbacks opposite Terrell since 2020. Locking Terrell in long-term promotes stability on at least half the field.
