Michael Oher, subject of the book and movie The Blind Side, has signed on with the Tennessee Titans, leaving the Baltimore Ravens. Ian Rapport of the Rap Sheet and NFL.com tweeted the story specifying Oher would receive 20 million dollars with 9.5 million guaranteed.
Oher’s life was the basis of the book and Oscar winning movie The Blind Side. According to the publisher’s website, the book detailed not only the rise of Oher as one of a drug addicted mother’s thirteen children to professional football player, but also his impact on the way the game is played itself.
A Tennessee native, Oher was originally headed to the Oakland Raiders after his rookie contract with the Baltimore Ravens expired, but as he told the Tennessean: “I hung out with the (Titans) coaches for two days, I just started getting a good vibe that I was right down the street from home. And just being back in the South, I’m a Southern guy, so it made it a lot a little easier. So as it was coming time for me to (leave for the airport), I just started telling myself, `I can’t leave, I can’t leave.’ So I’m glad we got something done.”
On Friday afternoon, Oher tweeted both a thank you message to the Baltimore Ravens and words of excitement upon joining the Titians, generating thousands of re-tweets and favorites. The Tennessee Titans then tweeted a picture of Oher signing his contract to make the deal official:
New #Titans OT Michael Oher officially signs his contract Friday night at Saint Thomas Sports Park!#TitanUp pic.twitter.com/3wX3xRLbR0
— Tennessee Titans (@TennesseeTitans) March 15, 2014
According to the official Baltimore Ravens website, Oher has been intrumental in helping the team score the most points in franchise history and the second-most total yards in team history. He had been with the team since 2009.
Image via CNN, Youtube