Packers President Mark Murphy opens up about team's strategy for extending Rashan Gary

On the day before Halloween, the Green Bay Packers agreed to terms with star edge rusher Rashan Gary on a four-year, $107 million extension.

Packers CEO Mark Murphy wrote in his “Murphy Takes 5” monthly column Saturday that the decision to extend Gary was an easy one once they saw how he bounced back from the torn ACL he sustained last November.

“He is an extremely talented player and has shown tremendous progress over the years,” Murphy wrote. “He’s also the kind of person we want on our team… [He] has started to become a real leader for us. The only issue with Rashan was related to his torn ACL. We wanted to see him play this year to ensure that he was fully recovered.

“He was on a pitch count early this season. But his play has been outstanding and we are confident he is fully recovered. It is a real tribute to Rashan how he handled his rehab. It was also very touching to see how much the new contract meant to Rashan and his family.”

Rashan Gary earns mega-contract extension after play this season

Gary, Green Bay’s first-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft out of Michigan, leads the Packers with 4.5 sacks in seven games this season. The 25-year-old has added 15 tackles (nine solo), five tackles for loss and eight quarterback hits. Gary recorded a career-high 9.5 sacks in 2021, and had 6.0 in nine games last season before the injury.

Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said in a statement that Gary’s “work ethic is unmatched.”

“Rashan has been an impact player and person for us since he joined the Packers,” Gutekunst said. “His work ethic is unmatched and he has developed into a team leader and cornerstone of our team. We are very pleased that he will remain in Green Bay for years to come.”

Gary, who signed his new deal alongside his mother, Jennifer Coney, and sister Nafessa, said he feels “hungrier” to help the Packers succeed.

“Man, it just makes me hungrier,” Gary said. “The organization that believed in me, trusted me, and sees my growth from when I came in, and see the man that I’m still becoming and the player that I’m working to become and still on the rise to become.”