Broncos Punter Britton Colquitt Takes A $1.4 Million Pay Cut
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) - Britton Colquitt is no longer the highest-paid punter in the First Family of Fourth Downs.
That honor belongs to brother Dustin.
Two years after becoming the league's highest-paid punter, Britton agreed to a $1.4 million pay cut from the Denver Broncos. He'll get $1.6 million instead of $3 million.
Dustin is making $2.95 million.
"I'm not mad about it," Britton Colquitt said of Monday's agreement. "It's part of the business, and I'm confident in our team this year and the ability God has given me. And I feel that I'm going to have a better year than I've had in the past.
"It's no big deal. Money's not why I'm doing this."
The Broncos, who signed Demaryius Thomas to a $70 million, five-year deal last month, gained some financial flexibility from Colquitt just like as when Peyton Manning accepted a $4 million pay cut in the offseason.
"I mean, Demaryius had to get taken care of somehow," Colquitt cracked. "Peyton took a little hit a couple months ago. So, I mean, Peyton's a good guy to follow, a good example."
Colquitt's 2016 salary of $3.25 million remains untouched.
He said he wanted to stay in Denver and "help the team win."
"I think even a little haircut is still a nice living for my family and I'm blessed to be doing what I'm doing," he added.
Colquitt's production slipped last year, and in the offseason the Broncos brought in kicker/punter Karl Schmitz, a strong-legged 28-year-old from Jacksonville University who hasn't played since 2008.
Colquitt's three-year, $11.7 million extension that he signed in 2013 included $3 million up front and averaged $3.9 million a season. That bested the $3.75 million average that Dustin got in his five-year, $18.75 million deal with the Chiefs.
Depending on whether you looked at it on a yearly basis or overall value, both brothers could claim at the time they were the highest-paid.
Now there's no question it's Dustin.
"I just want to do what's best for me and my family right now and I think this is it," Britton said.
- By Arnie Stapleton, AP Sports Writer
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