Lions players react to Glover Quin extension: ‘It was a no-brainer’

While Glover Quin wasn’t the player many Detroit Lions fans wanted to hear sign an extension on Sunday, he was certainly an important piece of the team’s puzzle. For four straight years—and 64 straight games—Quin has brought consistent play and extraordinary leadership to the Lions’ defense.

According to Adam Schefter, Quin’s two-year deal is worth an additional $13 million, including $9.5 million guaranteed for the veteran safety. The extension will lock up Quin all the way through the 2019 season, which will be his 11th year in the NFL.

That fact isn’t lost on Quin, who showed his humbleness after practice on Saturday. “To be in the NFL long enough to receive three contracts and to play at a level high enough to be rewarded with three contracts is... I’m just happy right now,” Quinn told reporters.

Quin isn’t the only one happy. Many of his teammates seemed just as excited about the news. Because the news broke literally minutes before the Lions began their first practice, many of his teammates didn’t find out about the news until after. Here’s a sampling of their reactions.

Golden Tate

“Super deserving guy. He works hard, he runs around like he’s 23. He’s a great leader in our locker room.”

Haloti Ngata

“GQ is just an amazing player, deserves it. Obviously glad he’s going to be around here for a while. He’s a great leader, a great player. To me, it was a no-brainer.”

Tahir Whitehead

Whitehead was one of the players who did not hear about Quin’s extension until after practice. In fact, one of the Lions reporters was the first to break the news to him, and cameras were on Whitehead to record his genuine reaction to the news. “That’s huge,” Whitehead said. “That’s big time. He’s a staple on this defense.”

Other players took to social media to congratulate Quin:

And even a former Lion threw his support behind Quin:

This outpour of love speaks not only to Quin’s value as a football player, but as a teammate and a friend. Luckily for Lions players, that presence will be around the franchise for the next three seasons.