Football, Linebacker | featured news

Clay Matthews has signed a long-term extension with the Packers, as first reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports the five-year, $66 million deal will make Matthews the NFL’s highest paid linebacker. Matthews, a four-time Pro Bowl pick, was scheduled to make $3.73 million in the final year of his contract, but he was expected to receive an offer valued around $13 million per year, similar to the NFL’s highest-paid linebacker, the Cowboys’ DeMarcus Ware.

The Bengals have signed middle linebacker Rey Maualuga to a new contract, another move to keep the league's sixth-ranked defense virtually intact....

Ray Lewis' 17-year career in the NFL looks like it's finally coming to an end. The 37-year-old linebacker told teammates "this will be my last ride," according to the team's official Twitter account.

Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher fatally shot his girlfriend early Saturday, then drove to Arrowhead Stadium and committed suicide in front of his coach and general manager.

Junior Seau, regarded as one of the N.F.L.’s best linebackers over a 20-year career with the Chargers, the Dolphins and the Patriots, died of a gunshot wound to the chest at his home.

Giants defensive end/linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka will be placed on
injured reserve with a neck injury, The Newark Star-Ledger reports.

Houston Texans linebacker Brian Cushing says he neither injected nor took any banned substances even though he tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug.

Houston Texans linebacker Brian Cushing has won a revote and will keep The Associated Press NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award he won in January.

The sure thing was looking shaky for Alabama. Hanging onto a precarious three-point lead and with momentum on the other side, linebacker Eryk Anders was determined not to let the championship slip away.