SAN DIEGO — Running back LaDainian Tomlinson is staying with the San Diego Chargers.
The 2006 NFL MVP and the Chargers agreed to a renegotiated deal that gives the team salary cap relief. Financial terms weren’t available for the three-year contract.
“My heart has always been in San Diego,” Tomlinson said. “I couldn’t imagine putting on another uniform.”
Tomlinson had been due $24 million over the next three seasons, including $6,725,000 in 2009. His salary cap number would have been $8.8 million in 2009.
The Chargers also signed former Dallas Cowboys linebacker Kevin Burnett.
• Orlando Pace, a seven-time Pro Bowl offensive tackle dogged by injuries in recent seasons, was released by the St. Louis Rams, who cleared $6 million in salary cap space with the move.
• Quarterback Alex Smith, a former No. 1 pick, is staying with the San Francisco 49ers after agreeing to a restructured contract that sharply reduces his $10 million base salary.
• The Atlanta Falcons signed linebacker Mike Peterson, who played the last six seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
• The Cowboys signed former Jaguars safety Gerald Sensabaugh.
• Former NFL place-kicker Tony Zendejas was acquitted of drugging a woman at his San Dimas, Calif., restaurant and raping her.
Report: Substances found on Clemens materials
NEW YORK — Federal authorities have found performance-enhancing substances on the materials Brian McNamee said he used to inject Roger Clemens, according to The New York Times.
McNamee turned over the syringes, vials and gauze pads to federal investigators last year, after he told baseball investigator George Mitchell he injected the pitcher with steroids and human growth hormone. A federal grand jury in Washington is investigating whether Clemens lied when he told a congressional committee last year that he didn’t use illegal performance- enhancing substances.
Schnuelle retakes Iditarod lead; dog dies
NIKOLAI, Alaska — Canadian Sebastian Schnuelle was the first musher to reach the Nikolai checkpoint, about 350 miles into the 1,100-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. He pulled in one minute ahead of Hugh Neff.
Also, marshal Mark Nordman reported the first dog death of the race. He said a 6-year-old male named Victor in the team of musher Jeff Holt died between the Rainy Pass and Rohn checkpoints.
Footnotes.
Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Vesa Toskala underwent season-ending hip surgery in Vail, while defenseman Mike Van Ryn will miss the rest of the season because of a torn knee ligament.
• Chicago Blackhawks right wing Martin Havlat is day to day because of a lower-body injury.
• Larry Regan, a former NHL rookie of the year who became the first general manager of the Los Angeles Kings and coached the team for a season, died Monday in Ottawa. Regan, who had a number of health problems, including Parkinson’s disease, was 78.
• Sylvain Chavanel of France won a final sprint to take the third stage of the Paris-Nice race and capture the yellow jersey.
The Associated Press
