GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Certainly, Jordy Nelson could have played out his existing contract to see what the free agent market had to offer during the offseason.
But Green Bay has become home for the Packers wide receiver and his family -- and now it will be for at least another three seasons.
Nelson confirmed Wednesday that he has signed a contract extension that will keep him with the team through 2014. He certainly had thought about playing out his existing contract and exploring free agency, perhaps going to a team more desperate for wide receiver help.
But Nelson thinks the Packers will be contenders for years to come, and that's more important than going to a less talented team where he might get a few more passes thrown his way.
"I think some people are in this league to get the money, and are excited about it," Nelson said. "For myself, I love winning. I don't know why you would want to leave a team like this, an organization like this."
Besides, Nelson joked, he wasn't entirely sure his family would have been willing to move with him.
"My wife loves it here," Nelson said. "She probably would have thought about staying and (have) me go play somewhere else."
And Nelson is only 26, so this might not be his last shot at a big contract.
"You want to hit as many contracts as you can," Nelson said. "Right now, it's great to have this one, but you've got to keep playing football. And hopefully there'll be another one because that means we'll be here for quite a while and hopefully having great success."
Nelson, a second-round pick out of Kansas State in 2008, began to blossom toward the end of last season. He came up with a huge performance with nine receptions for 140 yards and a touchdown in Super Bowl XLV.
He's showing no signs of slowing down this season, with 15 catches for 292 yards and three touchdowns in four games.
"I'm getting comfortable with Aaron, Aaron's getting comfortable with me, and the coaches as well," Nelson said. "There's that trust factor that has to go along with it. I've always said it's one thing to know the playbook, but it's another to know exactly what to do. I mean, Aaron wants certain things, and we're still working on that. There's stuff today in practice that we're still discussing. We want that perfect thing."
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press
