Josh Sweat has signed a free-agent contract with the Arizona Cardinals ahead of the 2025 NFL season.
The pass-rusher is set to receive a four-year deal worth $76.4 million. It includes $41 million guaranteed.
A person close to the situation confirmed the terms of the deal to USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon. The person spoke on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the matter.
Sweat was one of the best players on the field for the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 59. The edge rusher relentlessly pressured Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and sacked the three-time NFL champion 2.5 times throughout the Eagles’ 40-22 win.
Sweat’s dominant showing came after he led the Eagles with eight sacks during the regular season, the second-most he has logged in a single season behind his 11-sack campaign in 2022. His 54 pressures ranked 21st among edge players in 2024.
Sweat became a full-time starter for the Eagles in 2021, his fourth NFL season. He earned his lone career Pro Bowl nod that season after notching 7.5 sacks. Since becoming a starter, Sweat has totaled 33 sacks in 65 games.
Sweat was expected to garner interest as one of the top pass-rushing talents on the free-agent market, but there were questions about how much he would be paid, given his medical history. He suffered a knee dislocation while playing high school football in 2014 and nearly had to have his leg amputated because of it.
Sweat suffered another medical scare in 2022 when he suffered an artery rupture while at home ahead of the Eagles’ playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Eagles referred to it as ‘a life-threatening situation,’ and Sweat was told if he had fallen asleep while the bleed was ongoing, he may not have woken up.
Despite his scares, Sweat has only missed 12 regular-season games during his seven-year career and hasn’t missed more than one contest in a season, playoffs excluded, since 2020.
USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon contributed to this story.
