LDN - Sports

National Football
League roundup

[June 24, 2017]

June 23 (The Sports Xchange) - The Oakland Raiders officially signed Derek Carr to a five-year, $125 million contract extension through the 2022 season, and the star quarterback said he "never chased the money."

Carr confirmed Friday during a press conference announcing his extension that his deal was structured in order to leave the Raiders with enough money under the salary cap to extend other star players on the team.

"We figured out a way to do it so that we have the opportunity to sign the other guys that I think are important to this organization," Carr told reporters. "That was really important to me. Not to just take every single dime that we could. I hope that that's known."

The 26-year-old Carr's deal makes the two-time Pro Bowl selection the highest-paid player in the league in terms of new money average.

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New York Jets owner Woody Johnson has been nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom.

The White House formally made the announcement and if Johnson is confirmed by the U.S. Senate, his younger brother, Christopher Johnson, will assume the role of chairman and CEO of the Jets, the team announced.

Christopher Johnson, 58, is a minority owner and lives in New York. He will oversee the day-to-day operations in his brother's absence.

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Green Bay, by far the smallest market in the NFL, is pushing to host an upcoming draft.

Philadelphia hosted the NFL Draft in April and the event drew over 250,000 people in a three-day span.

Brad Toll, president and CEO of the Green Bay Convention and Visitors Bureau, is confident the city could manage a Philadelphia-sized crowd with enough working space and hotel accommodations.

"My gut feeling is with the people they had in town (in Philadelphia), we could accommodate that," Toll told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "Between the Resch Center and Titletown District, we certainly have every bit of space they need."

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