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| Umenyiore apparently will represent himself in contract negotiations for now. (US Presswire) |
Osi Umenyiora hasn’t received the new contract extension he’s wanted for the past two years. Now, about a month after fellow Giants defensive lineman Mathias Kiwanuka received a three-year extension for $21.75 million (with $11 million guaranteed), Umenyiora apparently feels he can do better than his agent.
That’s why, according to the Sports Business Journal (via the NY Daily News), Umenyiora has fired his long-time representative Tony Agnone.
“Fired is too harsh a word,” Umenyiora wrote in an email to the Daily News. “I just came to the conclusion that this situation I don’t think he can help me with.
“I have no agent currently, and I’m not really looking for one.”
Agnone hasn’t received an official termination notice, but it sounds like his services are no longer wanted by Umenyiora, who will play out the last year of his contract with a base salary of $3.975 million (remember, he did sign a seven-year deal worth $41.38 million in 2005).
His teammates, meanwhile, hope for the best. When news of Kiwanuka’s extension was broken, Umenyiora was classy, saying that Kiwanuka deserved it and that he was happy for him. When Justin Tuck was asked about Umenyiora recently, Tuck was just as generous with his praise.
“Osi’s been a part of our success here, and I just feel as though he needs to be rewarded for that. Hopefully, the Giants can do that,” Tuck said. “I’m not taking sides. Just stating the obvious.”
As obvious as Umenyiora not needing an agent to negotiate on his behalf? That remains to be seen.
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