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Friday afternoon the Arizona Cardinals announced that they had extended injured center A.Q. Shipley for one year, through 2019.
From the team:
Shipley (6-1, 307) played 44 games (35 starts) the past three seasons with the Cardinals after joining the team as a free agent in 2015. He started all 16 games the past two seasons at center for Arizona. For his career, the 32-year old Shipley has played in 89 games (54 starts) after entering the league with the Steelers as a seventh-round selection (226th overall) in the 2009 NFL Draft out of Penn State. After spending his first two seasons on the practice squads of the Steelers (2009) and Eagles (2010), Shipley played with the Colts (2012, ’14) and Ravens (2013) before joining the Cardinals. He was placed on injured reserve (knee) on August 7.
According to Ian Rapoport, it is $2 million deal with incentives:
The 2019 season is worth $2M including incentives for #AZCardinals C AQ Shipley — ensuring he stays to play and also mentor. https://t.co/m6dBDhewUC
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 24, 2018
Shipley was ecstatic to see the Arizona Cardinals give him the extension as well and praised the team, coaches and management for being so supportive.
I cant say enough good things about the @AZCardinals organization. I just want to say thank you to the Bidwill family, Steve Keim, Coach Steve Wilks and the entire Cardinals organization for giving me an opportunity to continue playing the game that I love.
— AQ Shipley (@aqshipley) August 24, 2018
Shipley's role may never be as a starter again, but his importance within the locker room and as a mentor for Mason Cole cannot be understated.
It's also a great touch with players, giving a contract to an injured player is not a common practice and shows what the Cardinals think of Shipley.
Get healthy and congratulations, A.Q.