Sports shorts Elway, Broncos agree to 5-year deal

John Elway agreed to a new five-year contract on Monday, ending a long-running story line that had fans wondering if their Hall of Fame QBturned-GM might leave the franchise he’s led to three Super Bowl titles.

Elway had insisted ever since the club approached him last October about a new deal that he wasn’t going anywhere. Yet, as months passed without an agreement, the issue came to dominate discussions about the Broncos along with their quarterback puzzle .

Their on-field leader will be determined over the next few weeks as Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch resume their much-hyped QB competition. The Broncos begin their seventh training camp under Elway’s front office leadership on Thursday.

“During these last six seasons, John’s clearly established himself as one of the best general managers in all of sports. He’s demonstrated impressive football instincts, a strong business acumen and a consistent ability to build competitive teams,” team President Joe Ellis said in a statement.

“There’s no doubt John means a great deal to the Broncos, our fans and the entire community. It was important for us to reach this longterm agreement, and we’re all excited to now turn our full attention toward the 2017 season.”

Elway was set to enter the final year of his contract as general manager and executive vice president of football operations. The sides tore up the final year of his old contract and added four more seasons, through 2021.

“Well deserved!!!,” tweeted Broncos All-Pro cornerback Aqib Talib . “(hash)Legend on the field and in the office!!!”

In his 22 seasons with the franchise, including 16 as a player, the Broncos have fewer losing seasons (two) than Lombardi Trophies (three).

The Dallas Cowboys have released receiver and kick returner Lucky Whitehead after the third-year player was linked to a shoplifting arrest in his home state of Virginia, with his agent saying he believes it was a case of mistaken identity.

Whitehead said he “didn’t know about that” as he was escorted off the field by a member of the Cowboys’ public relations staff after the first morning walkthrough practice of training camp Monday in Oxnard, California.

Prince William County Police Sgt. Jonathan Perok said 25-yearold Rodney Darnell Whitehead Jr. was arrested around 1:30 a.m. June 22 for taking about $40 worth of food and drink from a convenience store.

Perok said he couldn’t confirm that the man arrested was the Dallas receiver, but online records matched his name and birthdate. The Cowboys’ media guide lists Whitehead’s given first name of Rodney.

Whitehead’s agent, Dave Rich, denied that his client was arrested, saying he didn’t arrive in Virginia until about 10 hours after the arrest. The San Antonio Spurs have signed Pau Gasol to a three-year contract.

The Spurs announced the signing on Monday. Gasol opted out of the two-year deal he signed last summer to give the Spurs more salary cap flexibility to supplement the roster in free agency. But he always intended to re-sign with San Antonio, where he averaged 12.4 points and 7.8 rebounds in just over 25 minutes per game last season.