Father-son moments in which dad breaks the news of a life-changing $90 million contract are hardly commonplace.
That's how Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. found out his second NFL contract had been worked out, though.
It's a deal that rearranged the market, setting new high marks for average annual salary and total guaranteed for a cornerback.
Stingley believes it's a sign of things to come, though, finding out the good news from his pops in a rare tale he can cherish for autumns to come.
"When I found out I was working out with my pops," Stingley recollected Wednesday, via Texans transcript. "Then halfway through workout he was like, 'Oh dude, guess what,' and I was like 'What?', and then he was like, 'The deal is done'. Then I was like 'What? That's crazy'. I was just saying that it was crazy."
Perhaps it was crazy, but it was certainly historic.
Stingley agreed to a three-year, $90 million pact with the aforementioned standard-setting $89 million guaranteed and $30 million annual salary -- the latter two tops ever for a corner.
It's well deserved in Stingley's view as top-tier corners continue to do their best to keep up with top-tier and top-paid wide receivers. Cincinnati Bengals wideout Ja'Marr Chase recently agreed to a four-year, $161 million deal, becoming the seventh at his position to average $30 million or more per season. Stingley is just the first cornerback to garner $30 million per year despite the position's efforts at locking down the likes of Chase, Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb and more in the $30-mil club.
"Receivers are starting to touch $40 million [annually]," Stingley told ESPN. "[We're] the people that are going out there and competing against them. I think it's good that the cornerback position and other defensive positions are starting to get up there, too. But I think it's just good for the sport. Obviously with time it's gonna keep on going up, so I'm excited to see who is gonna make [the next] deal like that."
Stingley was selected third overall in the 2022 NFL Draft out of LSU and was limited to 20 starts over his first two seasons due to injuries. Still, during his second season his ascension truly began in earnest and by last year he had become one of the league's elite corners. The 23-year-old started every game for Houston, recorded five interceptions for a second straight season and earned his first Pro Bowl and All-Pro accolades. Since 2023, Stingley has tallied 10 interceptions and 31 pass breakups, standing as the only player in the league with 10-plus INTs and 25-plus passes defensed, per NFL Research.
Thusly, Texans general manager Nick Caserio and Co. didn't linger when it came to locking up one of the game's rising defensive stars on a second career contract.
"It means a lot that they allowed me to go out there with my coaches, and they taught me this game and at this level," Stingley said of the team investing in him. "They believe that I can be somebody to teach the younger people on the team. I'm not going to talk in front of everybody, but I know how to be a great teammate. I guess they believe in that and that is what I believe in."
In just three years, Stingley has made a massive impact in Houston and beyond.
He's helped the Texans to back-to-back AFC South titles and Divisional Round runs while pushing the cornerback market into unprecedented territory.
Fittingly, the news of Stingley's great fortune was delivered by his dad, who, by the Texans corner's account, made it all possible.
"Without my dad, I wouldn't be sitting here right now," he said. "I mean, just with everything. I just -- I wouldn't even be who I am. Everything, it's -- that's all I can say. I mean, I wouldn't be me."
And as of now, he's the highest-paid cornerback in the history of the game.
