Golden Tate will sign with the New York Giants according to his agency firm, CAA Football. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, his new deal is for four years, is worth a total of $37.5 million and contains $23 million in guaranteed money. The move bolsters the team’s receiving corps in the wake of the highly publicized trade that sent Odell Beckham to the Cleveland Browns.
Golden Tate has agreed to terms with the NY Giants.
— CAA Football (@CAA_Football) March 14, 2019
New York Giants to Sign Wide Receiver Golden Tate
The soon-to-be 10-year veteran joined the Philadelphia Eagles at the trade deadline last season. Prior to that, he had spent four and a half seasons with the Detroit Lions. Tate proved useful at the right times in Philly. His touchdown catch in the wild card round ensured the Eagles narrowly defeated the Chicago Bears, 16-15.
In Detroit, Tate eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in three different seasons. It included a 1,331-yard effort during the 2014 season which was good enough for seventh-best in the league that year. For his efforts, he received his lone Pro Bowl nod up to this point in his career. Tate’s 22 touchdown passes while with the Lions actually ranks him 15th in franchise history.
Tate’s career began with the Seattle Seahawks who drafted him in the second round (60th overall) of the 2010 NFL Draft. It took him a while to make an impact as he managed just 609 yards and three touchdown grabs during his first two seasons in the Pacific Northwest. That all changed in 2012 as he finished tied with Sidney Rice with seven touchdown catches. He added five more a year later while leading the team with 898 yards receiving during a campaign which eventually culminated in a Super Bowl win.
One of the more bizarre events during his career was his game-winning touchdown catch against the Green Bay Packers in Week Three of the 2012 season. It was difficult to tell whether he caught it or safety M.D. Jennings intercepted it in the end zone. With the NFL having locked out its regular officials, they were forced to use replacement referees at that point in the season. And, perhaps most infamously, one of the referees signaled touchdown while another signaled touchback. Ultimately, the touchdown counted and Seattle won the game, 14-12. But Tate’s catch became known as the “Fail Mary.”
Tate entered the NFL after a highly successful college career at Notre Dame. It included going for 1,496 yards and hauling in 15 touchdown catches as a junior. He earned unanimous first-team All-American recognition that year and also took home the Biletnikoff Award given to the nation’s top wide receiver. He subsequently decided to forego his senior season and declare for the draft.
