Wednesday 15 July 2015 20:57, UK
The Dallas Cowboys have agreed a new five-year, $70m contract extension with superstar wide receiver Dez Bryant.
The 26-year-old was issued with the team’s franchise tag in March and the two sides had until 9pm BST on Wednesday to agree a long-term contract or Bryant would have been forced to play out the season under the tag and hit free agency once again after the 2015 season.
Bryant was scheduled to make $12.8m under the franchise tender and had threatened to miss training camp as well as some regular season games if a long-term agreement was not struck before the deadline.
Since being taken in the first round in 2010, Bryant has blossomed into one of the best receivers in the NFL and has racked up 5,424 yards and 58 touchdowns with Dallas.
In 2014, Bryant was named to the Pro Bowl for the second straight season after posting 88 catches for 1,320 yards and a Cowboys single-season record 16 touchdown receptions.
After enduring off-field problems early in his career, Bryant has matured into one of the Cowboys’ leaders on the field and securing him for five more years is a huge boost for the team.
Bryant and Dallas endured heartbreak in the 2014 playoffs when Bryant’s stunning catch at the Green Bay Packers’ one-yard line on 4th-and-2 was overturned by replay officials deep into the fourth quarter of the Cowboys loss.
Instead of having the chance for the go-ahead touchdown, the Cowboys never got the ball back and their season ended.
