The Steelers reached a four-year contract extension with defensive end Aaron Smith that will keep him in Pittsburgh through the 2011 season.
Smith
Smith was entering the final year of his contact and was scheduled to make $4.5 million.
The deal, which runs through the 2011 season, is for roughly $25 million and rewrites the final year of the 31-year-old Smith's current contract, under which he was due a $1 million roster bonus and a salary of $3.5 million.
The new deal is worth about $12 million between now and next season, including a signing bonus.
"The motivating force behind doing the deal on behalf of Aaron and for Aaron was his overwhelming desire to play his entire career as a Pittsburgh Steeler, as well as his gratitude to the organization and the fans of Pittsburgh for the chance to wear the black and gold," Smith's agent, Peter Schaffer, said Wednesday.
The deal is expected to give the Steelers more room under the salary cap, though the specific implications were not immediately clear. Smith's previous contract, including a prorated share of his former signing bonus, would have counted more than $7 million toward the salary cap next season.
Considered one of the most dominating 3-4 defensive ends in the game, Smith was an important player for the Steelers to lock up to a long-term deal. First, his re-signing was the first endorsement of new first-year coach Mike Tomlin. Second, Smith's re-signing will keep together the starting defensive line of Smith, Casey Hampton and Brett Keisel for at least three more seasons.
John Clayton is a senior writer for ESPN.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report.