In Photos: Zack Baun and wife Ali enjoy scenic vacation in Hawaii after Eagles LB's $51,000,000 contract extension 

Zack Baun recently secured the biggest payday of his career when the Philadelphia Eagles rewarded him for his 2024 breakout with a three-year, $51-million extension. And he had a cozy and intimate way of celebrating it.

On Sunday, the linebacker's wife Ali took to Instagram to post the following images and videos of themselves and their son Elian vacationing in Maui, Hawaii:

The couple first met at Wisconsin, where he was an All-American and All-Big Ten with the Badgers. In 2020, the same year he was drafted in the third round by the New Orleans Saints, he and Ali married. Their son Elian was born in April 2024, around a month after he signed with the Eagles.

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Philadelphia Inquirer writer likes Eagles extending Zack Baun

As it turns out, Zack Baun and his wife Ali are not the only people liking his new extension. Philadelphia Inquirer sports writer David Murphy is also a fan.

In a recent feature, he opined that General Manager Howie Roseman did the wise and right thing by extending the recent All-Pro/Pro Bowler rather than trying to replace him, given his impact on the team:

"Baun was more than a linebacker for the Eagles this season," Murphy said. "He was a three-level, two-phase player, equally impactful as a run defender, pass defender, and pass rusher... [His] value is deeper than the skills. He is a foundational player in terms of the identity of the defense."

He continued saying that stars like running back Saquon Barkley, who also received a record-breaking two-year extension at around the same time, get elevated by Baun:

"It is players like Baun who create the magnifying effect... Elite players belong in a bucket all their own. Their impact transcends their position," Murphy said. "True, it makes less sense at linebacker to overpay for less-than-elite production than it does at other positions. But Baun’s impact and production are at a level where such rules do not apply to him.

"The uncertainty feels a lot less daunting with Baun back in the fold. The NFL’s annual offseason champs are again looking like winners," he added.

Two-thirds of Baun's new contract is guaranteed, and it also includes $1.5 million in incentives and escalators, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

How do you think the Philadelphia Eagles will fare next season? Can they go back-to-back and win another Super Bowl title? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.