ORCHARD PARK —
The Buffalo Bills have delivered on their promise to reward running back Fred Jackson by signing him to a two-year contract extension that's potentially worth $9 million.
The deal was announced Monday at a news conference attended by Jackson and team officials.
Jackson revealed the length of the contract. A person familiar with the deal disclosed the monetary terms, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the Bills had not revealed the value of the contract.
Jackson had one year left on his existing contract, and is now signed through the 2014 season.
Jackson has led the Bills in rushing in each of the past three seasons. He had expressed his dissatisfaction on several occasions last year of feeling underpaid and under-appreciated.
He went public with his concerns prior to the start of last season asking the team to restructure the four-year, $7.5 million contract he had signed in 2009.
"It's huge," Jackson said. "This is a day to put all that to rest. Now it's just about going out and playing football."
General manager Buddy Nix allayed fears this offseason saying he expected to reach a new deal with Jackson before the start of training camp.
Jackson was the Bills' first-half MVP last season before his year ended after he broke a bone in his right leg in a 35-8 loss at Miami on Nov. 20. He still finished with six touchdowns and a team-best 934 yards rushing while averaging 5.5 yards a carry.
Jackson's past has been an inspiration among his teammates, and a reason why he's regarded as one of the Bills' leaders. Jackson went undrafted after completing his senior year at Coe College. He then spent a few years at the arena football league level, where he was a star for Sioux City of the U.S. Indoor Football League before catching the Bills attention.
He spent the 2006 season on the Bills practice squad before making the active roster the following year.
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