Peter Skoronski, the Maine South graduate who grew up blocking defenders on Park Ridge football fields, is now the highest-paid offensive guard in NFL history.
The Tennessee Titans signed Skoronski to a four-year, $100 million contract extension on Friday, Aug. 7, with $88 million guaranteed, the Tennessean reported. At $25 million per year, the deal surpasses the previous record of $24 million annually held by Dallas Cowboys guard Tyler Smith.
Skoronski, 25, called the extension "a tremendous blessing" in a statement released by the team.
"You can't tell me the guys that have to block that guy aren't important too," Skoronski told reporters after a Titans scrimmage at Nissan Stadium on Aug. 7, referring to All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, his daily practice opponent, when asked whether a guard is worth $100 million.
The 6-foot-4, 313-pound lineman has started 47 consecutive games for Tennessee and hasn't missed a single offensive snap over the past two seasons. His 48 career starts are a franchise record for a player under 25 since the 1999 season, according to the Chicago Tribune.
From Hawk to Wildcat to Titan
At Maine South, Skoronski was a four-star recruit ranked the No. 2 player in Illinois. He recorded 173 pancake blocks in three seasons, captained the 2019 squad and helped lead the Hawks to three straight CSL conference championships, including the 2016 state title. He also lettered in basketball and track and field and was a National Honor Society member.
He chose Northwestern over offers from Notre Dame, Michigan, Penn State and others, becoming the first five-star recruit to sign with the Wildcats. In Evanston, he started all 33 games at left tackle and became Northwestern's first unanimous All-American, winning the 2022 Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year award.
The Titans drafted him 11th overall in 2023. He moved inside to left guard and never looked back. In 2025, he earned the second-best pass-blocking grade among NFL guards from Pro Football Focus, conceding just two sacks and 23 pressures while helping running back Tony Pollard rush for 1,000 yards, Yahoo Sports reported.
His deal came days after Atlanta Falcons guard Matthew Bergeron agreed to a four-year, $96 million extension, making it a rare week in which two interior linemen received top-of-market contracts.
Football in the family
The Skoronski football pedigree runs deep. Peter's grandfather, Bob Skoronski, played left tackle for the Green Bay Packers for nine seasons under Vince Lombardi, serving as the team's permanent offensive captain from 1964 to 1968. Bob won five NFL championships, including two Super Bowls, and was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame in 1976. He died in 2018.
Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi said in a statement that Skoronski "has the work ethic to match his talent and a perpetual desire to win that we want permeating throughout our building."
The extension begins in 2028; Skoronski is already under contract through 2027 via his fifth-year option. Tennessee's preseason opener is Thursday, Aug. 13, against the San Francisco 49ers, with the regular season starting Sept. 13 against the New York Jets.
Upcoming in Park Ridge
The Park Ridge Farmers Market continues on Saturdays through August at the Uptown Metra station. The city's Concerts in the Park series wraps its 66th season with two free Friday shows remaining.
