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Shanahan given extension through 2011

Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News

Published April 10, 2007 at midnight

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It is commonplace to launch optimism from a first-day podium, to stare into the bright lights and promise a new day, the start of a lasting relationship.

Broncos owner Pat Bowlen was no different Jan. 31, 1995, when he said, "I couldn't be happier to be standing here tonight with Mike Shanahan as the new head coach of the Denver Broncos."

Seems Bowlen still is happy after all these years. Finishing talks that had picked up steam in recent weeks, Bowlen announced Monday the Broncos had extended Shanahan's contract three more years, through the 2011 season.

It continues the league's second-longest current run - behind the Titans' Jeff Fisher, who was promoted to his current job with six games remaining in the 1994 season - between a team and its coach.

Shanahan's deal was good through the 2008 season, but Bowlen said at the league meetings last month he expected to finish an extension soon.

"I think he's the best," Bowlen said. "He still wants to coach and I want him to coach here. He had two years remaining on his contract and generally this is what I've done in the past about extensions, to do it at this point in time rather than waiting until the last year. So it was a no-brainer.

"When I was able to hire Mike in '95, I was looking at him as a long-term coach here. I had no doubts that he would coach here for a long time."

Shanahan long has been known to already be one of the highest-paid coaches in the league - several in the league put the annual figure at more than $6 million.

When asked Monday if the new deal keeps Shanahan near the top of the pay scale, Bowlen simply said "yes."

That is a long way from the seven-year, $8.5 million contract that was Shanahan's first with the team.

Shanahan is 131-74, including playoffs, with the Broncos and has won two Super Bowls. Since the last Super Bowl win to close the 1998 season, the Broncos are 1-4 in the postseason, and in 2006, the team finished 9-7 failing to make the playoffs for only the fifth time in Shanahan's 12-year tenure.

"You're never certain about anything, but I was comfortable that at this stage in his career Mike at least wants to coach for the next five years if not beyond," Bowlen said. "So I didn't have any anxiety about whether he'd want to extend his contract because I think he enjoys it here and I've never had any reason to think that he wanted to retire or go anywhere else."

PATRIOTS MATCH OFFER

New England Patriots general manager Scott Pioli has informed the Broncos and the league, by letter, the team has matched the one-year contract offer Denver made to punter Todd Sauerbrun.

There were rumblings in the league Monday that Sauerbrun is not pleased by the move, but it keeps him in New England for the near future. The deal, including performance incentives, is worth about $1.4 million.

The contract also is believed to contain a no-trade clause. Sauerbrun, 34, has the experience level to be an unrestricted free agent, but he gave the Patriots right of first refusal when he signed with the team last season.

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