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Oct 26, 2009 3:39 pm US/Central
Cowboys Extend DeMarcus Ware's Contract To 2015
IRVING (AP) ―
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DeMarcus Ware of the Dallas Cowboys rushes the passer from the right side of the defense during their NFL game against the Baltimore Ravens at Texas Stadium on December 20, 2008 in Irving, Texas.
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
Three-time Pro Bowl linebacker DeMarcus Ware and the Dallas Cowboys have finally agreed on a contract extension, a six-year deal through the 2015 season.
At a news conference Monday afternoon, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says he shook hands with Ware and agreed to the deal before the Cowboys' 37-21 victory over Atlanta. The paperwork was finalized Monday.
There was no immediate confirmation from the team about financial terms, though a report on the Cowboys' Web site said Ware's deal was for $78 million, an average of $16 million with $40 million guaranteed. Several other media outlets also reported the $40 million guarantee.
Ware was the NFL's sacks leader last season with 20. He has four in the last two games despite playing with a stress fracture in his left foot after being shut out the first four this season.
"He probably can play with one leg, so it's not something that has to do with his ability," teammate Marcus Spears said Monday. "It's just having that mentality of having to overcome that and playing well. It just adds to his legend."
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said last week he was hopeful of getting an extension completed soon for Ware, the 11th overall pick in the 2005 draft who is in the final year of the contract he signed then. There have been talks about a deal for several months.
"Contract stuff, that will happen whenever it happens," Ware said then.
Players were off Monday, a day after the Cowboys (4-2) beat Atlanta 37-21. Ware caused a fumble with one of his sacks and that led to Dallas' go-ahead touchdown.
Dallas coach Wade Phillips spoke highly of the 27-year-old linebacker while walking off from his usual Monday news conference after the team announced plans for the later gathering.
"I've been lucky to be around a lot of good ones. He's at the top of the class, and it doesn't take long to call the roll," said Philllips, also the team's defensive coordinator. "He's an all-around player, and he plays the run well, too. That's what you really like about him."
The Cowboys drafted Ware from Troy instead of Shawne Merriman, who was then taken 12th overall by San Diego when Phillips was the defensive coordinator there.
"I was around Merriman, he had 17 sacks in 12 games. Of course, Reggie White and Bruce Smith were special. (Ware) is special. He's a special guy in that way," Phillips said. "He's got all the things it takes and he utilizes them and he works hard at it. He's only going to get better."
Ware has 57 1/2 sacks in his 70 regular-season games and has increased his total each season, from eight as a rookie in 2005 to 11 1/2 to 14 and then 20.
He is the fourth player in Cowboys history with three consecutive 10-sack seasons. The last Dallas player with more than Ware in a single season was Hall of Fame defensive tackle Randy White with 16 in 1978.
There was also Ware's NFL record-matching streak of 10 consecutive games with a sack (2007-08), the longest in the NFL in 15 years -- though it is not recognized as a Cowboys record. Harvey Martin had sacks in 11 consecutive games from 1976-77 before the NFL considered sacks an official stat.
Ware is among only six players to have 20 sacks in a seasons since sacks became an official stat in 1982.
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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