Safety Tony Jefferson checked on 'Madden' how he'd look in a Ravens uniform before signing
There are a lot of factors that go into signing with a team in NFL free agency.
Money is first, and probably second, third and fourth. Location is key. The chance to win a Super Bowl is a possible factor, as is scheme fit. And, at least in safety Tony Jefferson’s case, he wanted to know how he’d look in his new team’s uniform.
Jefferson told NFL.com he checked out on the “Madden” video game how he’d look in the uniforms of his free-agent suitors. And he picked the Baltimore Ravens, who happen to have some great looking uniforms. The four-year, $36 million deal couldn’t have hurt either.
“I am a guy of swagger, so I gotta check the swag at all points before I make a decision,” Jefferson told NFL.com. “I put myself in different uniforms on Madden to see what will look better. Ravens did look good, though.”
In that interview Jefferson also singled out the black-on-black Ravens alternate uniforms as the best combination. He’s right, those do look sharp.
Now, Jefferson didn’t pick the Ravens just because of their uniforms. He’s not an impulsive 17-year-old kid picking Maryland because they are outfitted in Under Armour gear. Read Andy Benoit’s excellent story on The MMQB to get an idea of why Jefferson ended up with the Ravens. He put a lot of thought into it, passing on the Cleveland Browns’ offer of about $1.5 million more per season to sign in Baltimore.
“I love the game way too much to let money be my leading factor in what I do,” Jefferson told The MMQB.
There are a lot of factors to consider. And Jefferson knew before signing on the dotted line that he would look pretty good in his new Ravens gear.
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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
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