It’s official: McConkey signs record contract with L.A. Chargers

Published 12:16 pm Tuesday, June 18, 2024

After being selected by the Los Angeles Chargers in April’s 2024 NFL Draft and practicing with the team during offseason camps, North Murray High School graduate Ladd McConkey made it official on Monday.

McConkey officially signed his first NFL contract.

McConkey signed a four-year deal with the team, according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, who confirmed the news with McConkey’s agent, Chris Cabott.

The former Mountaineer’s four-year deal is worth nearly $10 million, coming in at $9,995,186 — including a signing bonus of more than $4 million — according to Spotrac.com, a website that tracks professional sports contracts.

McConkey’s base salary for his rookie season will be $795,000, and that number rises to $2,157,981 for the final season covered by the contract in 2027. Per Rapoport, the contract is the highest ever given to a player drafted at the 34th slot in the draft.

McConkey was the final Chargers rookie among the team’s nine-player draft class to sign his deal.

The official signing of a rookie contract is often a matter of “when,” not “if.” The team that drafts a player holds the exclusive rights to sign that player to an NFL deal.

“He’s just picked up the offense so easily. It’s like he’s been a four or five-year vet,” Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert said last week of McConkey.

McConkey starred at North Murray, earned a scholarship to Georgia and helped the Bulldogs to a pair of national titles on his way to becoming an NFL Draft pick.

As a senior in the 2019 season, McConkey was the North Murray quarterback and helped lead the team to its first region championship and first appearance in the state Elite Eight. North Murray finished 11-2 that year.

On the year in 2019, McConkey had 143 carries for 924 yards and 10 touchdowns; 124-for-209 passing for 1,771 yards and 20 touchdowns; three kickoff returns for 160 yards and one touchdown; four punt returns for 196 yards and two touchdowns; punted 22 times for an average of 35.2 yards; 17 tackles; four interceptions with three returned for touchdowns; and seven pass deflections. He was the Region 6-3A offensive player of the year and Region 6-3A first-team member and made the Dalton Daily Citizen All-Area first team as an athlete. McConkey previously played at his future collegiate position of wide receiver before taking over at QB for his senior season.

McConkey redshirted his first season in Athens and was a part of Georgia’s scout team. In 2021, as a redshirt freshman, McConkey totaled 31 catches for 447 yards and five touchdowns, then brought in 58 balls for 762 yards and seven scores as a sophomore. Georgia won the National Championship after the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

Injuries led to McConkey being limited to just eight of Georgia’s 14 games in 2023. McConkey still totaled 29 catches for 456 yards and a pair of touchdowns. McConkey won the 2023 Wuerffel Trophy, which highlights on-field success and community service.

McConkey was the ninth wide receiver taken in April’s draft.

The Chargers, which finished 5-12 last year, were in the market for a wide receiver after their top two pass catchers from last year left in free agency. Mike Williams signed with the New York Jets, and Keenan Allen went to the Chicago Bears.