Moss stays with Patriots for three years, $27 million

Randy Moss is staying with the New England Patriots.

The defending AFC champions re-signed the record-breaking receiver Monday to a three-year deal worth $27 million, his agent said. The signing was confirmed by the team shortly after Moss posted a message to fans on his website.

“I want to take time out to thank all of the fans for their support and for wishing me well in my return to New England,” therealrandymoss.com quotes him as saying. “I’m ready to get back. We have some unfinished business to take care of.”

Moss’ agent, Tim DiPiero, said the deal included guarantees of $15 million, including a $12-million signing bonus to the receiver who set an NFL record with 23 touchdown catches and helped the Patriots reach the Super Bowl in his first season with the team.

“Randy was serious about wanting to stay,” DiPiero wrote in an e-mail. “Because of Randy’s record-breaking year, the interest in him was very high. Randy took less than he could have to rejoin his teammates.”

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Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger signed an eight-year extension with the Pittsburgh Steelers that is worth $102 million and makes him one of the NFL’s top-paid players. Roethlisberger’s contract guarantees him $36 million and is the largest in the Steelers’ 76-season history. Roethlisberger gets a $25-million signing bonus.

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Running back Warrick Dunn, 33, was released by the Atlanta Falcons, one day after the team signed free-agent running back Michael Turner.

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The San Francisco 49ers signed former UCLA running back DeShaun Foster, 28, to back up Frank Gore.

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The Denver Broncos signed former USC wide receiver Keary Colbert, who played the last four seasons for the Carolina Panthers. . . . Defensive end Antwan Odom signed a five-year deal worth $29.5 million with the Cincinnati Bengals. He last played for Tennessee. . . . The Kansas City Chiefs signed free-agent linebacker Demorrio Williams, 27, to a five-year contract. Williams last played for the Falcons. . . . The New York Jets signed linebacker Calvin Pace, 27, and offensive lineman Damien Woody, 30. Pace last played for Arizona and Woody played in Detroit.

Keydrick Vincent, a 29-year-old released by Arizona, agreed to a two-year, $2-million deal with Carolina. . . . The Tampa Bay Buccaneers traded an undisclosed 2009 draft pick to the Chicago Bears for quarterback Brian Griese, 32.

The Jacksonville Jaguars released guard Chris Naeole, 33. . . . Free-agent linebacker Kevin Bentley, 28, signed with the Houston Texans. He last played in Seattle. . . . The New York Giants reached a tentative agreement with safety Sammy Knight, 32, to replace Gibril Wilson. . . . David Patten, 33, agreed to a two-year contract with the New Orleans Saints.

TENNIS

Federer loses opener in Dubai to Murray

Playing for the first time since losing to Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open semifinals, top-ranked Roger Federer lost to Andy Murray, 6-7 (6), 6-3, 6-4, in the first round of the Dubai Tennis Championships in United Arab Emirates.

Federer, who had won the Dubai tournament four of the last five years, had not been defeated in the first round since falling to Dominik Hrbaty in the 2004 Cincinnati Masters.

He is 1-2 against Murray.

Fabrice Santoro also advanced, beating last year’s finalist, Mikhail Youzhny, 6-3, 6-4. Fourth-seeded David Ferrer beat Tommy Haas, 6-3, 6-0.

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Sam Querrey beat Sebastien Grosjean, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (8), in the first round of the ATP Tennis Channel Open in Las Vegas.

JURISPRUDENCE

Broncos’ Thomas faces possession charge

Denver Broncos defensive tackle Marcus Thomas, 22, was arrested early Saturday and charged with possession of a controlled substance after police said they found cocaine and a handgun in a pickup truck during a traffic stop in Orange Park, Fla.

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A judge in San Francisco refused to toss out the perjury case of former Olympic cyclist Tammy Thomas, charged with lying to a federal grand jury about using steroids.

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MISCELLANY

Top European meets won’t invite drug cheats

British sprinter Dwain Chambers and any other athletes who have served suspensions for major doping offenses will not be invited to compete at major European track and field meets, said Wilfried Meert, a top organizer, in Brussels, Belgium.

The measure was adopted by organizers of Europe’s 51 major invitational meets, including all the Golden League and Grand Prix events, and applies to athletes who have been banned for two years.

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Sheryl Swoopes, a Houston Comet for the franchise’s 10-year history and part of their first four WNBA title teams, signed with the Seattle Storm.

Swoopes, 36, had back surgery in September.

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Rebecca Snyder earned a spot in her fourth straight Olympics, winning in air pistol at the U.S. shooting trials in Colorado Springs.