LDN - Sports

National Football League roundup

[June 30, 2016] June 29 (The Sports Xchange) - Andrew Luck agreed to a contract extension with the Indianapolis Colts through the 2021 season, owner Jim Irsay announced via Twitter on Wednesday.

The contract includes a record $87 million guaranteed and, according to Irsay, is worth $140 million over the next six seasons.

Irsay followed up with a tweet about the deal being worth "$140 Million over 6 Years... Biggest Contract in NFL History... Congrats to #12!!!"

Precise terms of the deal were not immediately confirmed, but NFL Network reported Luck became the highest-paid player in league history, including more than $75 million in the first three years of the deal.

Luck was scheduled to earn $16.1 million in the final season of his rookie deal, the fifth-year team option exercised by the Colts in March.

- - -

The Seattle Seahawks rewarded wide receiver Doug Baldwin by signing Baldwin to a four-year contract extension that runs through 2020.

According to multiple media reports, the deal is worth $46 million, with $24.25 million guaranteed.

The extension makes Baldwin the NFL's seventh-highest paid receiver in average annual salary ($11.5 million), according to overthecap.com.

- - -

Johnny Manziel is vacationing in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where a group of 20 people are staying at a mansion being rented by Manziel and another person.

A woman staying at the mansion posted a picture on Snapchat that showed her holding several bags of what appear to be drugs. She did not insinuate they were Manziel's, writing: "Cabo Ready! Just kidding, I would NEVER!!"

Manziel told TMZ Sports the bags are not his, and that he is not doing any drugs while planning on going completely sober on July 1 - which is Friday.

"They're absolutely not mine. I don't even know that girl," he told TMZ.

- - -

The NFL Players Association is resisting the league's attempt to interview the active players named in a six-month-old Al-Jazeera America report on performance-enhancing drugs.

The players' union has formally requested evidence to support the NFL's investigation.

[to top of second column]

Retired quarterback Peyton Manning is likely to cooperate if requested, according to ESPN on Wednesday.

The players' union sent four letters to Adolpho Birch, the NFL's senior vice president of labor policy, in response to the league letter last week asking to interview four players named in the Al-Jazeera America report.

Those players are Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison, Green Bay Packers linebackers Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers and free agent linebacker Mike Neal.

- - -

Dallas Cowboys rookie linebacker Jaylon Smith is reportedly showing no significant improvement in his injured nerve.

According to ESPN's Ed Werder, it remains unlikely that the Cowboys' second-round pick (No. 34 overall) in the 2016 NFL Draft will play this season.

Smith suffered a devastating knee injury during his final college game at Notre Dame, tearing his ACL and LCL during the Jan. 1 Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State. The injuries created nerve damage in his knee and ankle. Prior to the injury, Smith was viewed as a top-10 pick.

- - -

Veteran defensive lineman Cory Redding plans to retire after 13 NFL seasons.

Redding, who spent last season with the Cardinals, is 35 and was productive in stints with the Lions, Seahawks, Ravens and Colts.

Redding was released in April after finishing the season on injured reserve because of an ankle injury after 12 games. The move saved the Cardinals $3 million against the 2016 salary cap.

- - - (Editing by Mark Lamport-Stokes)

Back to top