The Phillies said they were going to spend big money this offseason, and they did just that on Tuesday, when they agreed to sign mega-free agent Bryce Harper to a 13-year, $310 million contract.
The deal, which is one of the largest in MLB history, also takes the cake of the biggest in the history of Philadelphia sports.
How have other teams done after signing stars to huge contracts in this city?
Here is a look at the top 11 deals signed in Philadelphia history, with a look at how each athlete did after they signed their contract:
Vick as the Eagles’ franchise quarterback feels like an eternity ago, but it was only back in 2011 that the team decided to hand him a six-figure contract. The decision proved to be a bad one, as Vick would go 12-17 in his starts in an Eagles’ uniform following the contract, and eventually lost his job to Nick Foles.
It is unclear how much guaranteed money McNabb netted in his whopping 12-year, $115 million contract he signed with the Eagles back in 2002, but with a $20 million signing bonus and $30 million over the first three years, McNabb netted at least $50 million early on in the deal. No matter how much the guarantees were, the deal was worth it for the Eagles, as McNabb went on to be arguably the best quarterback in franchise history, and took the team to the Super Bowl just two years later.
The three-year, $60 million deal Halladay signed in 2009 proved to be a steal for the Phillies. Halladay posted a 3.25 ERA in his four seasons with the Phillies, a better ERA than he had in his 12-years with the Toronto Blue Jays. The highlight of Halladay’s time with the Phillies, in which there were many, was his no-hitter in 2010 in the playoffs against the Cincinnati Reds.
Giroux has been arguably one of the best players in the NHL since signing his deal, but the team has had very little success. Since Giroux inked the eight-year deal in 2014, the Flyers have yet to win a playoff series.
The contract signed by Cox in 2016 was at the time the largest amount of guaranteed money ever handed out to a non-quarterback in NFL history. That has since changed, but the deal proved to be worth every penny, as Cox has been a dominating force for the Eagles and helped them capture their first Super Bowl title in 2017.
Iverson’s contract, signed in 1999, would have been bigger if not for the NBA lockout. The contract ended up being a bargain for the Sixers, as Iverson would begin his streak of being one of the best players in the NBA the following year. Iverson led the NBA in points two of the three years after he signed his contract, and carried the Sixers to the NBA Finals in the 2000 season.
One of the most popular players in franchise history, Utley’s contract came one year before he was part of the core that helped give Philadelphia their first title in over 20 years. Utley was in the top 15 of MVP voting in each of the three years following the contract, and was one of the best second basemen in the league. Utley did decline by the end of his time with the Phillies, but the $85 million was still money well spent by the Phillies.
Coming off of four-straight years with over 45 home runs, Howard’s deal in 2010 was the first mega-contract signed by the core of the Phillies’ World Series winning team. Howard would never top 40 home runs in a season again, however, and the torn Achilles he suffered in 2011 was a big reason why. If Howard never got injured this contract might look a lot different, but he did, and because of it Howard never even came close to living up to the mega-deal he signed.
Hamels’ deal was one of the biggest in the history of the city when he signed it, and it remains near the top almost seven years later. Hamels would play only three seasons with the Phillies after signing the contract, as he was traded to the Texas Rangers in 2015. Hamels pitched well for the Phillies in-between the contract and the trade, however, and the team’s lack of success during that stretch had nothing to do with the pitcher.
Embiid topping this list shouldn’t be surprising. He is the last major star to sign a contract in Philadelphia, and he plays in a league where salaries are rising each year and fully guaranteed. Embiid has been worth every penny so far since he signed the contract in 2017, taking the Sixers to the playoffs the following season, and putting his name on the short list for MVP candidates this year. As long as Embiid stays healthy, he should be worth the money the Sixers agreed to pay him.
At just 26-years old, Harper is one of the best players in the game and arguably the biggest star. What is amazing about the deal is the fact Harper agreed to a no-opt out clause, meaning he is completely committed to Philadelphia for 13-seasons. Time will tell if he is worth the huge money, but the Phillies did whatever hoped they would -- they spent stupid money to bring in the premier free agent.