Stafford becomes highest-paid player
Matthew Stafford and the Detroit Lions agreed to a $135-million, five-year extension that makes him the highest-paid player in the NFL, a person familiar with the deal said.
The person spoke Monday night to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because terms were not disclosed. The team announced the deal keeps the quarterback under contract through the 2022 season.
Stafford was entering the last season of his $53-million, three-year contract. He stood to get quite a raise and did, getting more than the $125-million, five-year contract the Oakland Raiders gave Derek Carr this summer. Detroit drafted Stafford No. 1 overall in 2009. He helped the Lions reach the playoffs last season for the third time in six seasons.
Texans-Cowboys exhibition moved
Thursday’s exhibition game between the Texans and Cowboys has been moved to the Dallas area because of overwhelming flooding in Houston, the NFL announced Monday.
In a written statement, the league said the decision was “[d]ue to public safety concerns resulting from the ongoing weather emergency related to Hurricane Harvey.”
The game will be played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, and kickoff will remain at 5 p.m. PDT. Details on tickets, parking and other game day logistics will be announced later this week. — Sam Farmer Broncos’ Lynch to miss several weeks
Just one week after calling off their five-month quarterback competition, the Denver Broncos have found themselves dealing with another quarterback conundrum.
The Broncos may have to carry three quarterbacks on their 53-man roster after losing backup Paxton Lynch for several weeks to a sprained right (throwing) shoulder suffered in Denver’s 20-17 exhibition win over Green Bay on Saturday night. Etc.
The Baltimore Ravens have given coach John Harbaugh a contract extension, even though the team has missed the playoffs in three of the last four years. Harbaugh started this season with a contract that stretched through 2018 . ... The NFL suspended Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict for five games because he leveled a Kansas City Chiefs running back in a preseason game, the latest in his history of egregious hits . ... New York Giants backup defensive end Owa Odighizuwa has been suspended without pay for the first four games of the regular season for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.