Commanders’ Deebo Samuel Earns Big Bonus Money in Cowboys...

By Matthew Couden

Contributing Writer

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Christmas Day brought a trio of NFL games, beginning with the Washington Commanders hosting the Dallas Cowboys. While the matchup between the NFC East rivals carried no playoff implications, it still made for an entertaining contest and a lucrative game for Deebo Samuel.

Dallas put together an impressive first half, taking a 24-10 lead into halftime. However, the Commanders battled back after halftime, scoring 10 points in the third, while the Cowboys managed just a field goal.

The final quarter saw the teams trade field goals, with the Cowboys controlling the clock after the two-minute warning en route to a 30-23 win.

Despite getting sacked six times, Dak Prescott threw for 307 yards and two touchdowns, with KaVontae Turpin and George Pickens combining for 164 receiving yards.

Read more: Steelers Get Significant TJ Watt Injury Update Before Browns Game

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On the opposing side, Jacory Croskey-Merritt had 11 carries for 106 yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, Samuel didn’t score or put up huge numbers, but they were enough for him to cash in on several nice Christmas Day bonuses.

Based on Spotrac data, Samuel reached 70 catches for his season to earn a $450,000 incentive. During the game, he also hit 700 receiving yards for his season, bringing him another $250,000 in bonus money.

In just the first quarter, he had an impressive catch and run for extra yards, which included him smashing into a Cowboys defender and causing his helmet to pop off.

Thursday's loss dropped the Washington Commanders to a 4-12 record in a disappointing follow-up to last season's NFC Championship Game appearance. Current projections suggest they'll get the No. 7 NFL Draft pick, but it's unclear what direction they'll go with their selection.

Samuel joined the Commanders via trade for a fifth-round pick earlier this year after spending his first six seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. He then received a guaranteed $17 million base salary with $3 million in extra incentives.

While the Commanders' season is down to one game remaining against the Philadelphia Eagles, Samuel is looking to land another big contract with Washington in 2026, or he’ll likely explore other options.

Read more: Commanders Reveal Starting Quarterback vs Cowboys on Christmas

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