Troy Polamalu, Adrian Peterson extend their contracts

Troy Polamalu never planned on leaving the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Still, the defending AFC champions didn’t want to take any chances, signing the star safety to a contract extension through the 2014 season.

Polamalu, the 2010 NFL defensive player of the year, signed the contract at Pittsburgh International Airport on Saturday just before the team boarded a plane to Baltimore.

Terms were not immediately disclosed. Polamalu was scheduled to make $6.4 million this season.

The perennial Pro Bowler enjoyed perhaps the finest season of his career in 2010, finishing with seven interceptions, 64 combined tackles and a sack. He was slowed by a strained Achilles in the playoffs and has admitted he was not 100% in the loss to Green Bay in the Super Bowl.

Polamalu was ready to start the final year of a five-year deal he signed in 2007. The Steelers typically do not negotiate contracts once the season begins. They got it in just under the wire, saving both sides from a potential distraction over the next five months.

Adrian Peterson thinks he’s the best running back in the game. Now he’s getting paid like it.

Peterson agreed to a contract extension with the Vikings that includes $36 million in guaranteed money and as much as $100 million over the next seven years if he plays that long with Minnesota.

Peterson has begun the final year of his rookie deal on a $10.72 million

The Carolina Panthers and strong safety Charles Godfrey agreed to a five-year contact extension. Doug Hendrickson, Godfrey’s agent, said the deal is worth $27.5 million overall, $12.4 million guaranteed.

NFL allows players to wear special shoes and gloves to commemorate 9/11

The NFL has relaxed its normally rigid uniform policy so players can commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.

League spokesman Michael Signora tweeted that the league told its 32 clubs that players may wear special shoes and gloves from official NFL equipment licensees for Week 1 games.

The move came one day after Chicago linebacker Lance Briggs tweeted that he had expected to be fined for wearing red, white and blue cleats and gloves designed by Reebok. Briggs said it would be “by far the best fine he will ever have to pay.”

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league does not “anticipate any issues.”

“We have extensive plans for Sunday to respectfully recognize the significance of the day,” Aiello said in an email. “Lance Briggs and all players will participate.”

Briggs declined to comment when he left the practice field Friday. He instead put the shoes on display in the locker room, the back of the left shoe bearing the word “Never,” while the right had “Forget.”

Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles also said on Twitter that he plans to wear Reebok-issued gloves and cleats to honor the day.

Like Briggs, Charles posted a picture online. It showed an all-red bottom surface around the cleats beneath a white shoe with large blue stripes wrapped around it and white stars along the heel. The back of the glove is all red, with the words, “Never forget,” circled around the date, Sept. 11, 2001. The palm of the glove is blue, with white stars.

“I never forget,” Charles tweeted.

Charles and Briggs will have some company Sunday.

Colts receiver Reggie Wayne, a five-time Pro Bowler, showed up at Friday’s practice with a stars-and-stripes design on his gloves and shoes. He plans to wear the same accessories Sunday at Houston. Wayne’s teammate and friend, Pro Bowl safety Antoine Bethea, is expected to don the same attire.

Golf: Yani Tseng and Amy Yang share lead

Defending champion Yani Tseng shot a four-under 67 and Amy Yang had a 64 to share the second-round lead at nine under in the LPGA Tour’s NW Arkansas Championship at Rogers, Ark.

Taylor Leon (67) was a stroke back.

U.S. trails Britain-Ireland team in Walker Cup

Rhys Pugh, Steven Brown, James Byrne and Paul Cutler helped Britain and Ireland take a 7-5 lead over the United States in the Walker Cup at Aberdeen, Scotland, winning consecutive matches.

Top-ranked Patrick Cantlay, a UCLA sophomore, earned the last point for the Americans, beating Michael Stewart on Royal Aberdeen’s Balgownie Course.

Rory McIlroy closes round strongly

U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy birdied four of his last eight holes to move within three shots of the lead in the KLM Open at Hilversum, Netherlands.

McIlroy had a two-under 68. South Africa’s James Kingston and Scotland’s Garry Orr each shot 66 to top the leaderboard at 10 under. England’s David Lynn (68) was a stroke back.

Basketball: Finland, Macedonia win

Finland put itself in position to reach the quarterfinals of the European basketball championship for the first time, using its perimeter shooting to beat Georgia, 87-73, at Vilnius, Lithuania.

Macedonia kept its surprisingly strong run going by defeating Slovenia, 68-59, behind Bo McCalebb’s 19 points. Russia beat Greece, 83-67; both teams have secured advancement.

Brazil clinches Olympic berth

Brazil beat the Dominican Republic, 83-76, at Mar del Plata, Argentina, to claim a berth in next year’s London Olympics.

Argentina and Puerto Rico meet in the second semifinal later Saturday.

The two finalists qualify automatically for London.

Track and field: Walter Dix wins 100 meters

Walter Dix won the 100-meter race at the Rieti Grand Prix in Italy. Fellow American Justin Gatlin finished third.

Dix, the silver medalist at the world championships, clocked 10.02 seconds. Lerone Clarke of Jamaica was second in 10.06 and Gatlin’s time was 10.08.

Another American, LaShawn Merritt, won the 200, clocking 20.13.

World record holder David Rudisha of Kenya ran the fastest 800 meters of the year, 1 minute 41.33. His world mark, set last year, is 1:41.01.

Boxing: Vitali Klitscko beats Tomasz Adamek

Vitali Klitschko stopped Polish challenger Tomasz Adamek in the 10th round to retain the WBC heavyweight title at Wroclaw, Poland.