Harrison gets huge deal

Harrison returned an interception 100 yards (metres) for a Super Bowl record touchdown this year as the Steelers ran out 27-23 winners over the Arizona Cardinals.

Harrison's agent, Bill Parise, confirmed the deal to the Pittsburgh Post Gazzette.

"We are quite happy, as you can imagine," Parise said.

"We are happy that James will remain in Pittsburgh and this contract is certainly representative of a great marriage between a great franchise and a great football player."

The report said that the Steelers would officially announce the new deal at a news conference on Tuesday.

Harrison was heading into the final year of his existing contract with the Steelers.

The outside linebacker moved to Pittsburgh as an undrafted free agent in 2002 but struggled to make an impact before he was cut in 2004 and joined the Baltimore Ravens.

Harrison's NFL career looked over when the Ravens packed him off to play in NFL Europa but he got a second chance at Pittsburgh and has since been part of two Super Bowl winning teams and earned two Pro Bowl selections.

Meanwhile, the Kansas City Chiefs have signed former Miami Dolphins and Dallas Cowboys linebacker Zach Thomas.

The 35-year-old Thomas, a seven-times Pro Bowl selection, was an unrestricted free agent after ending his one-year deal with the Cowboys.

Thomas had 12 years with the Dolphins before moving to Dallas and has started 182 games in the NFL during his career.

The Chiefs also announced that they had waived wide receiver Will Franklin, who featured in 13 games last season but made just one start.

And the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have signed quarterback Byron Leftwich.

Leftwich played five games as reserve to Ben Roethlisberger at the Super Bowl-winning Pittsburgh Steelers last season, but was not offered a new deal and joins Tampa as a free agent.

The 29-year-old had signed a two-year deal.

Tampa Bay allowed last year's starting quarterback Jeff Garcia to leave into free agency, but Leftwich will compete with Luke McCown, Brian Griese and Josh Johnson for the starting slot.

Leftwich was drafted in 2003 by the Jacksonville Jaguars and then had a season at Atlanta in 2007 before joining the Steelers.