Davis Signs With the Broncos for Nine Years, $56.1 Million

Terrell Davis became the NFL’s highest-paid running back, signing a nine-year contract that essentially will keep him with the Denver Broncos for the rest of his career.

Sources said the contract is worth $56.1 million, including an $11-million signing bonus.

“Mike [Shanahan, the coach] has said from my first day that if you work hard, you’ll get rewarded for it,” Davis said. “Fortunately for me, I’ve worked hard for three years, and it’s all paid off. I knew it was coming.”

The Broncos, who restructured Davis’ contract after the sixth-round draft choice rushed for 1,117 yards his rookie year in 1995, agreed to renegotiate again if Davis had consecutive 1,500-yard seasons.

He then rushed for 1,538 yards in 1996 and 1,750 yards in 1997, and capped last season with his Super Bowl performance.

*

Buffalo Bill linebacker Chris Spielman will put off his comeback from a neck injury for a year to be with his wife, Stephanie, who has breast cancer. . . . The Tennessee Oilers reached deals with No. 1 pick Kevin Dyson, a wide receiver from Utah, and second-round choice Samari Rolle, a cornerback from Florida State. . . . Joe Jurevicius, the Penn State receiver who was the New York Giants’ second-round draft choice and was offered a four-year contract, did not report to training camp. . . . St. Louis Ram fullback Craig Heyward remained in exile from the team after failing to report for a scheduled weigh-in. . . . The Seattle Seahawks released veteran linebacker Joe Cain.

Golf

Mike Springer held on to his lead in the PGA Tour’s final CVS Charity Classic at Sutton, Mass., but Paul Azinger and Fuzzy Zoeller each shot six-under-par 65s to move within one stroke of the lead. . . . Se Ri Pak eagled the final hole to tie Tammie Green, Alicia Dibos and Becky Iverson for the opening-round lead with a seven-under 65 at the Giant Eagle LPGA Classic at Howland, Ohio. . . . Lee Westwood of England added a second-round 66 to his course record-tying 63 and shared the lead with Australian Stephen Leaney at the Dutch Open at Hilversum, Netherlands. Justin Rose of England, making his pro debut at 17, missed the cut despite a second-round 65.

Cycling

Angered by the drug scandal that has dominated cycling’s premier event, Tour de France riders protested by delaying the start of racing.

For two hours, the cyclists deliberately stayed off their bikes and milled about in Tarascon-sur-Ariege.

“We are fed up with being treated like cattle. So we are going to behave like cattle,” Laurent Jalabert of France told Radio Tour, the station that follows the race.

The 12th stage eventually was won by Tom Steels of Belgium. Jann Ullrich of Germany holds a 71-second overall lead over Bobby Julich of the United States.

Tennis

Michael Chang has a 12-11 edge in his rivalry with Jim Courier after a 6-3, 6-4 quarterfinal victory in the Legg Mason Tennis Classic at Washington. Second-seeded Andre Agassi was a 6-1, 6-2 winner over unseeded Sebastien Lareau of Canada. . . . A rematch between French Open finalists Arantxa Sanchez Vicario and Monica Seles will highlight the Fed Cup semifinal this weekend between Spain and the United States at Madrid. . . . Marcelo Rios of Chile closed within one victory of taking Pete Sampras’ No. 1 ranking by routing Boris Becker of Germany, 6-2, 6-0, to reach the Mercedes Cup semifinals at Stuttgart, Germany.

Obituaries

Northrup Knox, who with his late brother, Seymour, brought the NHL to Buffalo, died at his East Aurora, N.Y., home Thursday night after a lengthy illness. He was 69. . . . Med Park, a Missouri basketball standout who went on to play for the NBA champion St. Louis Hawks, died of cancer Thursday in a Springfield, Mo., hospital. He was 65.

Miscellany

Suspended Olympic swimmer Gary Hall Jr.’s backup urine sample also tested positive for marijuana, his attorney told the Arizona Republic. Hall, 23, was suspended temporarily earlier this month by the international swimming federation FINA, after testing positive for marijuana during a May 15 competition at Phoenix. . . . Four Chinese swimmers--Luna Wang, Cai Huijue, Zhang Yi and Wang Wei--were suspended from all meets for two years for using banned substances during the world championships in January.

Ward Burton earned the pole for NASCAR’s Pennsylvania 500 at Long Pond, Pa. Jeff Gordon qualified second. . . . Mike Bliss edged Mike Wallace for the pole in the Craftsman Truck series Tempus Resorts 300K at Pikes Peak International Raceway at Fountain, Colo. . . . Top-fuel driver Shelly Anderson received second-degree burns in an accident during qualifying for the Autolite Nationals at Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma.

The NBA and the players’ union are scheduled to resume talks Aug. 6 to hopefully end the owners’ lockout. . . . The United States got its first victory after two losses in the baseball world championships at Rome with a 13-6 victory over Taiwan.