Notes: Steelers spend $14.4 million to keep Bettis

Tuesday, Feb. 18, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

SUN WIRE REPORTS

The Pittsburgh Steelers couldn't afford to keep most of the 20 players they've lost in free agency since 1993. They couldn't afford to lose Jerome Bettis.

With Chad Brown and Willie Williams gone, and Rod Woodson possibly not far behind, the Steelers were in danger of being substantially weakened by free agency for the second consecutive off-season.

On Monday, Bettis signed a four-year, $14.4 million contract, the richest in Steelers history and the third highest for an NFL running back.

"I wanted to stay here, and the Steelers stepped up to the plate and hit a home run," the All-Pro running back said. "This is the team, the city and the offense for me."

Bettis' $3.6 million average salary ranks with Greg Lloyd's $3.7 million as the highest on the team. Among running backs, it trails only Emmitt Smith and Barry Sanders, who make more than $4 million apiece. Bettis also got a $4 million signing bonus.

"Security was the issue for Jerome, and, in this business, security is spelled in the form of signing bonus and guaranteed money," said Lamont Smith, Bettis' agent.

* SEAHAWKS SIGN EX-STEELERS: Prospective Seattle Seahawks owner Paul Allen is spending $10 million on signing bonuses in deals with two former Pittsburgh Steelers. Cornerback Willie Williams agreed to sign a four-year, $8.7 million contract with Seattle. The deal signed Sunday carries a $3 million signing bonus. A day earlier, former teammate Chad Brown, a Pro Bowl linebacker, signed a six-year, $24 million contract with a $7 million signing bonus.

* BRONCOS GET GRIFFITH: Free agent fullback Howard Griffith has left the Carolina Panthers and agreed to a four-year, $4.4 million deal with the Denver Broncos. The Broncos will put Griffith, 29, into the starting fullback position held last year by Aaron Craver, who is also an unrestricted free agent. The 6-foot, 240-pound Griffith has played four NFL seasons, the past two with Carolina. He is one of the league's better blocking fullbacks, but wants to be part of Denver's passing game.

* HOBERT TRADED TO BILLS: In a deal that lacked only a formal announcement, the Raiders said Monday they have traded backup quarterback Billy Joe Hobert to the Buffalo Bills. Still unresolved is the status of Jeff Hostetler, Oakland's starting quarterback since 1993. The Raiders declined to say what they received for Hobert, but sources in Buffalo said the Bills gave up an unconditional third-round pick in this year's draft. Hobert, who leaked news of the trade over the weekend, arrived Monday night in Buffalo and will take a physical Tuesday. Oakland's next move is expected to be the exit of Hostetler, whose starting job was handed to free agent Jeff George. Saturday, George signed a five-year, $27.5 million contract.

* 49ERS STADIUM LOSES IN SURVEY: The San Francisco 49ers could have trouble convincing taxpayers to help foot the bill for a new football stadium complex, according to an informal newspaper survey. Readers voted nearly 2-to-1 against the $525 million sports stadium megamall in the San Francisco Examiner's unscientific survey, despite enthusiastic backing from Mayor Willie Brown and the team's owners. The newspaper asked readers whether San Francisco voters should approve a $100 million bond to help finance the 49ers' proposal to build the 75,000-seat stadium and shopping complex at Candlestick Point.

* PHILLIPS OK WITH VERMEIL: After Lawrence Phillips' latest legal problem, the St. Louis Rams might not be blamed if they cut the troubled running back. But new general manager and coach Dick Vermeil isn't ready to take that step. "There are going to be some people that say, 'Run his rear end out of town,'" Vermeil said. "I have done that before. I hope I don't have to do it this time. I am not going to give up on the guy."

* BEARS BATTLE FOR MIRER: The Chicago Bears want Rick Mirer. The Seahawks want to trade the quarterback to the Bears. The Bears and Mirer's agents have tentatively agreed on a four-year contract extension worth almost $15 million. So why hasn't the trade that has been in the works for more than two weeks been completed? Mirer's agents, Marvin Demoff and Don Yee, want to get other teams involved in the bidding.

* BROWN MAY STAY WITH PACK: Though there are conflicting signals, most signs suggest that the Green Bay Packers' Gilbert Brown is on the brink of signing a contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars in the next day or two. Reports out of Jacksonville the past few days have said a deal is all but done, and the Green Bay Press-Gazette learned Monday that appears to be the case. The conflict comes from Brown, who has told some Packers players he would much prefer to return to Green Bay and that there are some unspecified difficulties holding up a deal with Jacksonville, which reportedly has offered him an average of a little more than $3 million a season.

* PANTHERS RELEASE DENNIS: The Carolina Panthers released offensive tackle Mark Dennis, who started 17 of 28 games over the past two seasons. Dennis signed with the Panthers as a free agent in June 1995. He spent most of his NFL career with Miami after joining the Dolphins as an eighth-round draft pick in 1987.