Steelers make Brown highest- paidWRin NFL
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Antonio Brown agreed to terms on a fouryear, $ 68 million contract extension, including a $ 19 million signing bonus, that will make Brown the highest- paid receiver in the NFL.
The deal will keep Brown, who is entering the last season of his old contract, with the Steelers through the 2021 season. He will make $ 4.7 million under the terms of his old deal in 2017 before the extension kicks in.
In the last four seasons, Brown has caught 481 passes for 6,315 yards and 43 touchdowns.
† The Steelers put an exclusiverights franchise tag on running back
Le’Veon Bell, ensuring he’ll remain with them in 2017.
The tag gives the Steelers until July 15 to work out a long- term deal with Bell, 25, who last season became the first player in NFL history to average at least 100 yards rushing and 50 yards receiving per game. If they can’t, he will make the average salary of the top five running backs next season.
Four players — Arizona Cardinals outside linebacker Chandler Jones, Carolina Panthers defensive tackle
Kawann Short, New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre- Paul and Los Angeles Chargers outside linebacker Melvin Ingram — were given the non- exclusive- rights franchise tag.
The tag allows the teams to keep negotiating long- term deals with their players till July 15. If another team makes a player an offer, the team that used the tag can match it or receive two first- round draft picks in return.
NBA 76ers’ Embiid out again
The Philadelphia 76ers said center
Joel Embiid will be out indefinitely with soreness and swelling in his left knee. He missed his first two seasons while recovering from foot surgery.
† The Cleveland Cavaliers signed former Illinois point guard Deron
Williams, whose contract was bought out last week by the Dallas Mavericks, to an unspecified contract.
† The Toronto Raptors said point guard Kyle Lowry will have surgery Tuesday to remove loose bodies from his right wrist and hopes to return for the playoffs.
† TheNewYork Knicks said former Bulls center Joakim Noah had surgery to remove a loose body from his left knee and likely will miss the rest of the season.
NHL TwoWild players have mumps
The Minnesota Wild announced forwards Zach Parise and Jason
Pominville have been diagnosed with mumps and have been put in isolation for five days. That means they will miss at least three games.
† TheWashington Capitals acquired defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk and minor- league goalie Pheonix Copley from the St. Louis Blues for forwards
Zach Sanford and Brad Malone, a first- round draft pick in June and a conditional second- round draft pick in 2019.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL Virginia stifles No. 5 Carolina
Kyle Guy scored 17 points, and No. 23 Virginia ( 20- 9, 10- 7) held No. 5 North Carolina ( 25- 6, 13- 4) to half its 86- point season average on its way to a 53- 43 victory in Atlantic Coast Conference play in Charlottesville, Virginia.