NFL Most Valuable Player Shaun Alexander has agreed to a $62 million, eight-year contract to remain with the Seattle Seahawks, his agent said last night.

Jim Steiner said the deal is the richest ever for an NFL running back and will pay the league's leading rusher over $15.1 million in guaranteed cash, through signing and other bonuses and 2006 base salary.

Steiner told The Associated Press of the signing in a telephone interview, minutes after the NFL pushed back the start of the free-agent signing period 72 hours to Thursday.

The league still must approve the contract, and Alexander has yet to sign it.

The team is waiting for the contract to become official before announcing the deal, though a press conference at team headquarters could come as early as this afternoon.

"They definitely wanted to do this," Steiner said of the Seahawks bringing back Alexander, who set an NFL record with 28 touchdowns last season. "And Seattle was Shaun's first choice all along."

Also yesterday, the Seahawks offered one-year, $712,000 tenders to their three restricted free agents — quarterback Seneca Wallace, kicker Josh Brown and offensive lineman Wayne Hunter, a Radford High and University of Hawai'i alum.

JETS

QB REWORKS CONTRACT

Chad Pennington finally resolved his contract with the New York Jets. That might have been the easy part for the often-injured quarterback compared to what looms ahead.

Pennington agreed to a restructured deal yesterday after weeks of talks, a move that provides salary-cap relief while giving him a guaranteed $3 million in 2006 with $6 million in playing time bonuses. But there are no guarantees Pennington will keep his starting quarterback job as he continues to rehab his right shoulder.

The Jets will likely bring in a veteran or draft a quarterback to provide competition.

The Jets made two other moves yesterday as the deadline for free agency approached. They extended the contract of offensive lineman Pete Kendall and cut 35-year-old center Kevin Mawae, a longtime fixture in their line.

Pennington would have counted as much as $12 million against the salary cap.

ELSEWHERE

Redskins: Washington parted ways last night with three-time Pro Bowl linebacker LaVar Arrington, who agreed to a contract buyout so that he could become a free agent, The Associated Press has learned. Arrington agreed to give up more than $4 million in his contract rather than restructure it in a way that would allow him to remain with the Redskins, an official with knowledge of the transaction told the AP on condition of anonymity.

2015 Super Bowl: The NFL announced yesterday that Kansas City would host the 2015 Super Bowl if voters approve a tax to renovate Arrowhead Stadium. Commissioner Paul Tagliabue addressed a meeting of team officials and civic leaders by speakerphone from New York. Tagliabue announced late last year that Kansas City would get a Super Bowl if the renovations were made and if a rolling roof was built to make Arrowhead Stadium climate-controlled.