By Ed Bouchette
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/
Friday, August 22, 2008
Linebacker James Farrior arose from his locker stool at lunchtime, looking as if he could use some pocket money.His tattered, faded "Longest Yard" T-shirt sported holes big enough for a running back to squeeze through.
"You better put on a good shirt," a teammate suggested.
"This is my good shirt," Farrior responded.
Old guys can dress any way they want, and the 33-year-old Farrior struck one for the graybeards yesterday when he signed a five-year contract worth $18.25 million with the Steelers. The deal -- his third with the team since signing as a free agent from the New York Jets in 2002 -- includes a $5 million signing bonus and will pay him slightly less than $10 million in the first two years and $12.6 over the first three.
"It makes it a lot easier not having to worry about longevity here and where you might be next year," said Farrior, the team's defensive captain and its leader in tackles four of the past five seasons. "It gives you a level of comfort and a level of ease that you know where you're going to be and you can make this your home."
It's a contract, negotiated by the Steelers' Omar Khan and agent Ralph Cindrich, designed for Farrior to retire within three years, not five.
"That's the game plan: Try to finish out my career here," Farrior said, repeating a wish he expressed two weeks ago. "The Steelers have been good to me, and I put all my heart and soul into this and I'm going to try to close it out."
Farrior signed the first new contract for a Steelers player since Ben Roethlisberger received his extension early in March. The question now is, with nine days left on their self-imposed deadline of ending negotiations with the start of the regular season, will his be the last? Two key starters on the offensive line said yesterday there are no moves to extend their contracts beyond 2008. Left tackle Marvel Smith and left guard Chris Kemoeatu would become unrestricted free agents in March.
"I don't worry about it. I moved forward already," Smith said. "It's not something I'm dwelling on. It's on them. If they want to make that decision or not, we'll take it when that time comes."
He said he was happy to see Farrior get his deal, and believes it has no effect on if or when he gets an extension.
"It's all in the organization, what they want to do," Smith said. "James is a great player. They're smart to do something like that."
Said coach Mike Tomlin: "James has played at an extremely high level for the entire time that I've been here. It's a pleasure to get that deal done. We're glad to get it done, glad that he's going to be here in the future. Not only is he an outstanding player, but he's an outstanding professional and outstanding leader."
Cindrich believes Farrior has a good three years left in him.
"When you look at the number of [older linebackers] out there, you can go to Ray Lewis, Junior Seau, Willie McGinest, Tedy Bruschi, London Fletcher -- it seems like James is getting stronger."
Another of Farrior's older teammates felt that way, too.
"When you have a leader like that, to keep the guy around and the type of player he is, you can't do nothing but help the team," said defensive end Aaron Smith, 32. "It's a matter of how you perform and that's what this business is based on, how you perform. He's been doing it for a long time and I think he'll continue doing it for a long time."
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NOTES -- Tomlin said his first teams will play at least one half tomorrow night against the Minnesota Vikings and would include some substitution, such as rookie running back Rashard Mendenhall and linebacker Lawrence Timmons. ... Safety Troy Polamalu continued to practice with the second team yesterday and is unlikely to play against the Vikings. "We are very pleased" with Polamalu's progress, Tomlin said.
Ed Bouchette can be reached at ebouchette@post-gazette.com.
First published on August 22, 2008 at 12:00 am
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