Shaq Mason reacts to contract extension with Patriots, stresses doing his job moving forward

Shaq Mason currently is in the final year of his rookie deal with the New England Patriots, and yesterday the team made sure that it will not be his last one in Foxboro: Mason and the Patriots agreed to a five-year contract extension on Monday, worth up to $50.0 million with $23.5 million in guarantees. The new deal will now keep the former fourth-round draft pick in New England through the 2023 season.

Shortly after news of the contract broke, Mason spoke to the media and shared his feelings on it:

Thank God and the Kraft family for this opportunity, thanks to the coach for believing in me. […] It all goes into work. I just come out here every day, trying to do my job, and that’s the same mind set moving forward. […] I wasn’t really putting too much thought into it because we’re still in training camp. So I’m just going out there working – it is a blessing for sure, though. […] It’s definitely a good thing to get done, but moving forward, I’m just focused on the season. That’s over and done with now; I’ve got practice tomorrow.

In typical Patriots fashion, the 25-year old put a lot of emphasis on working: both the work that he did leading up to this deal, as well as the one that still needs to be done moving forward. The regular season is not even two weeks away, after all, and Mason is a lock to start at the right guard spot for the third straight season – and with his new deal in hand, he will continue doing that for the next few years as well.