Arizona's Peterson relishes being highest-paid CB

Patrick Peterson is the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL.

Just ask him.

Not only did he tweet out the terms of his new contract - five years, $70 million, $48 million guaranteed - he referred to himself as the highest-paid at his position at least five times in the Arizona Cardinals news conference announcing the new deal on Wednesday - twice before he was ever asked a question.

He's long maintained he's the league's best cornerback. Now he says has higher goals - the playoffs, a Super Bowl title, the Hall of Fame.

And Peterson doesn't speak as if he's boasting, rather just a matter of the facts.

In just three years, he has become, as he put it, "a face of the organization."

"He's earned it," Cardinals president Michael Bidwill said, "and I agree - he's the best defensive corner in the league."

Peterson is the first of the 2011 draft class to sign a second contract. He had two years left on his previous deal after the Cardinals picked up his fifth-year option.

"It shows that we're a first-class organization," Peterson said. "We want to get the job done. We want to win, that's the most important thing."

By tweeting out his deal, Peterson made sure everyone knew his contract was bigger than that of Seattle's Richard Sherman. The two have carried on a Twitter rivalry for some time.

Sherman signed a four-year, $56 million contract - $40 million guaranteed - earlier this year.

Peterson rubbed it in with a tweet on Wednesday that said "You mad bro!!!" followed by five faces crying.

Sherman responded with a close-up photo of his Super Bowl championship ring and said "Can't ever be too mad."

Steelers to retire Hall of Famer Greene's No. 75

The Pittsburgh Steelers are retiring Hall of Fame defensive end Joe Greene's number No. 75.

The team announced Wednesday that Greene will be honored during a ceremony on Nov. 2 when the Steelers host the Baltimore Ravens.

Greene, the fourth overall pick in the 1969 NFL draft, helped Pittsburgh win four Super Bowls during his 13-year career. The 10-time Pro Bowler was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1987.

The announcement comes just over a month after the passing of former Steelers coach Chuck Noll, who drafted Greene to become the cornerstone of the "Steel Curtain" defense.

Greene is the second Steeler to have his number retired. The team retired defensive lineman Ernie Stautner's No. 70 in 1964.

Cowboys sign OT Tyron Smith to 8-year extension

Tyron Smith has a new contract that will probably make him the most important blocker for the next Dallas quarterback after Tony Romo.

The Pro Bowl left tackle signed an eight-year, $98 million extension Wednesday that pushes the total value of his deal to $110 million over 10 years, locking him up through 2023.

The extension includes a $10 million signing bonus and $40 million in guaranteed money. Smith joins Romo as the only Cowboys with contracts valued at more than $100 million.

Smith was just 20 when the Cowboys took him ninth overall in 2011 out of Southern California. That was Jason Garrett's first draft as coach.

"That first one says a lot about what you believe," Garrett said. "He's something else. We really emphasize the importance of mental toughness. We believe that's a distinguishing trait in players and in teams. And he represents that in spades. He's off the charts."

In a statement through his marketing agency, Smith said the Cowboys approached him with what is a cap-friendly deal for the franchise, and the lineman asked his agents to weigh the pros and cons of signing it.

Smith said part of his reasoning was rewarding owner Jerry Jones for standing by him during a difficult time that included Smith's lawyer accusing the player's parents of taking money from him after he had set up a way to give them a portion of his rookie contract.

"I am beyond grateful for the Cowboys staff, my teammates and the fans and wanted to ensure I was locked in as a "Cowboy for Life,"' Smith said.

Executive vice president Stephen Jones said the Cowboys wanted to make Smith the highest-paid left tackle in the NFL, which he said was accomplished through a $12.2 million average for the eight-year extension.

"Tyron deserves it," Jones said. "He's 23 years old, and it may be the first 10-year deal I've ever done in football where I think the guy will be playing in the last year of his contract."

Smith has started all 47 games in his career, missing one game with a sprained ankle in 2012. He played right tackle as a rookie before moving to the left side, and this year he'll be protecting Romo's blind side with the 34-year-old coming off back surgery.

"He's just been everything we wanted to build this program and this team around," Garrett said. "He was a really young player we put in really in minute one of day one. He's everything we thought he was going to be, physically and intangibly and just as a person. His work ethic is fantastic."

Smith became the first-round model in three of four drafts for the Cowboys - proven players from major college programs.

They took center Travis Frederick from Wisconsin late in the first round last year after trading down and grabbed right guard Zack Martin out of Notre Dame in the middle of the first round this year.

"On draft day, you're optimistic about the players you take, particularly that high in the draft, but when you see them develop as quickly as he has into the kind of leader and the player you want, not only for your team but your program, it's really satisfying," Garrett said. "He's a cornerstone player in this franchise."

As with Smith, Frederick and Martin have been plugged in as starters from the start of their first offseason. They were born within four months of each other and will each be 23 when the season starts.

"You see those relationships developing before your eyes," Garrett said. "It's a special bond, particularly when you play a position like offensive line where the communication is verbal but also has to be almost by feel."

Fred Jackson signs 1-year contract extension

Fred Jackson has no plans of slowing down any time soon.

The 33-year-old running back signed a one-year contract extension with the Buffalo Bills on Wednesday, placing Buffalo's unquestioned leader on offense under contract with the Bills through 2015.

"I just love to play this game," Jackson said. "Usually when guys get to be my age they're ready to kind of shut it down and not come out here and get beat up like we do at training camp, but I wake up every day and I love it. I'm blessed to have an opportunity to play for a team like the Buffalo Bills."

Jackson's unlikely success story has made him one of the most popular Bills of the last decade. A former undrafted free agent from tiny Coe College, Jackson is known as much for his slashing, punishing running style on the field as well as his character and leadership away from it.

Jackson earned a spot on the Bills' practice squad in 2006 after years of toiling away in various minor leagues. He became a full-time starter in 2009, topping the 1,000-yard mark with 1,062 yards rushing, and has been an integral part of the team's offense ever since while sharing time in the backfield with players like C.J. Spiller and Marshawn Lynch.

Jackson doesn't appear to be slowing down with age. Following an injury-plagued 2012 campaign, Jackson rushed for 890 yards and nine touchdowns last season while battling two separate knee sprains. In 2011, he had one of the most productive years of his career, averaging 5.5 yards a carry and nearly topping the 1,000-yard mark in just 10 games.

Jackson has rushed for 5,121 yards and 28 career touchdowns while adding 2,139 yards and six touchdowns as a receiver.

"Fred's been a great pro," Bills coach Doug Marrone said. "In my time here with him he's been a very good leader and very productive. ... Age is a number for him. He really doesn't seem that way. The way he runs and the way he prepares himself is a credit to how he takes care of his body."

Jackson hopes that this new deal will give him an opportunity to finish his career with the Bills, whenever that is.

"I want to play as long as possible, but if I can get three or four more years I'll be happy," Jackson said. "But we'll see what happens."

Jackson's 7-year-old son, Braeden, then spoke up while standing next to his father at the podium:

"Can I tell you how many years I'd like you to play? Five."

"Five more years, that's where I've got to go," Jackson answered to laughter. "By that time, I'll have (one of my other kids) telling me to do something different."

Browns sign veteran S Jim Leonard to contract

Cleveland has signed safety Jim Leonard, making the Browns the fifth different NFL team in the nine-year veteran's career.

The Browns confirmed the signing Wednesday after Leonard wrote on Twitter that, "It's official, I just signed my 8th NFL contract to become a part of the Cleveland Browns. (hash)dawgpound."

Leonard, 31, was with Buffalo last year where he spent the first four seasons of his career after being signed as an undrafted rookie out of Wisconsin in 2005. He spent 2012 in Denver and also played 2008 for Baltimore and 2009 and 2010 with the New York Jets.

He had four interceptions playing in 16 games last season with seven starts. He has 12 career interceptions.

Attorney: Ex-NFL player's domestic case closed

An attorney for former NFL running back Larry Johnson says the player's Las Vegas domestic violence case is now closed after a judge determined he successfully completed community service and counseling requirements.

Attorney Gregory Knapp says he appeared in court on Johnson's behalf Wednesday and provided documents showing that the 34-year-old former Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins star completed his sentence.

Knapp said the athlete volunteered for several nonprofits, including the American Heart Association.

Johnson was arrested in October 2012 at the Bellagio after he was accused of beating and choking his 32-year-old ex-girlfriend.

He was sentenced to probation, 48 hours of community service and six months of counseling after pleading no contest in July 2013 to misdemeanor battery and assault.

Knapp says Johnson lives in Florida.