Sep 6, 2019 4 min read

Chiefs sign Hill for $54 million

The Kansas City Chiefs signed Tyreek Hill to a three-year, $54 million contract extension Friday, locking up the playmaking wide receiver whose off-the-field issues left his future in the NFL in question just a couple months ago.

The deal includes a $5.8 million signing bonus and $35.2 million in guarantees, a person with knowledge of the details told the Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Chiefs do not disclose the terms of contracts.

“I hope he can still run that fast with all that money in his pocket,” coach Andy Reid quipped after Friday’s walk-through ahead of the Chiefs’ opener Sunday in Jacksonville.

The length of the deal protects the Chiefs from investing too heavily in a dynamic player with a checkered past while also giving the 25-year-old Hill the chance for another payday down the road.

Hill was barred from the Chiefs facility all offseason after audio surfaced in which his then-fiancée accused ill of hurting their 3-year-old son. It prompted an investigation by the district attorney, another by the NFL and another by the Kansas Department for Children and Families.

Local authorities were the first to clear Hill after finding no evidence to support the alleged abuse. The NFL cleared Hill the week before training camp, at which point the Chiefs announced that he was free to resume working with the team in advance of this season.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue my playing career here in Kansas City,” Hill said in a statement. “Kansas City is my home, and I appreciate the love and support from (team owner) Clark Hunt, coach (Andy) Reid and Brett Veach, along with my coaches and teammates.”

Hill, who was kicked off the team at Oklahoma State for another domestic violence incident, was a lightning rod the moment he entered the league. But he’s largely stayed out of trouble while becoming one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, and that has endeared him to the Chiefs fanbase.

Big ratings for Bears-Packers

The NFL kickoff game between the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears was the most viewed opener since 2016.

Green Bay’s 10-3 victory on Thursday night averaged 22.7 million viewers on NBC as well as the network’s and NFL’s digital platforms. The viewer figures were released by the network and compiled by Nielsen and Adobe Analytics.

This year’s game saw a 16% increase over last year, when an average of 19.6 million watched the Philadelphia Eagles defeat the Atlanta Falcons. The audience peaked at 23.9 million viewers between 9:15 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

Medvedev to Open finals

Daniil Medvedev first made a name for himself at the U.S. Open by earning the wrath of spectators. Now he’s gaining everyone’s respect as he heads to his first Grand Slam final.

The No. 5-seeded Russian has gone from trolling angry crowds at Flushing Meadows to playing for the title after beating unseeded Grigor Dimitrov 7-6 (5), 6-4, 6-3 in the semifinals Friday under Arthur Ashe Stadium’s closed retractable roof.

During his on-court interview, Medvedev referenced his “tournament of controversies,” which included accumulating $19,000 in fines and antagonizing booing fans last week, saying he knew it was “not going to be easy with the public.”

Medvedev’s tennis was a bit scratchy, and he barely avoided dropping the opening set, but he did just enough with his mostly defensive style to get past Dimitrov, who had eliminated Roger Federer in a five-set quarterfinal.

In Sunday’s final, Medvedev will face either 18-time major champion Rafael Nadal or Matteo Berrettini, a 23-year-old from Italy who is seeded 24th.