Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II agreed to a four-year contract extension worth $96 million with $77.5 million guaranteed.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team didn’t immediately announce the agreement.

The $24 million-per-year average vaults Surtain past Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. ($21.025 million) and Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander ($21 million) as the highest-paid defensive back in the NFL.

Earlier this year, the Broncos exercised their fifth-year option on Surtain, guaranteeing him $19.802 million in 2025. He’s due about $3.5 million this season.

The new deal begins in 2026 and would keep Surtain in Denver through the 2029 season.

Commanders’ Cosmi signs four year extension >> The Washington Commanders signed starting right guard Sam Cosmi to a four-year extension, getting the deal done just before the start of the NFL season.

Cosmi is now under contract through 2029. One of two holdovers on a rebuilt offensive line, he is a key part of the group tasked with protecting rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels in his pro debut Sunday at Tampa Bay and beyond.

Hamlin set to start for first time since life threatening injury >> A year after making the cut to successfully resume his football career following a near-death experience, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin reached a new plateau in his comeback in being selected a season-opening starter.

Coach Sean McDermott announced the news by saying Hamlin will be paired with Taylor Rapp when the Bills take the field in hosting the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

Tennis

Muchova advances to US Open Semifinals >> Karolina Muchova is back in the U.S. Open semifinals for the second straight year, punctuating her return from wrist surgery by beating No. 22 Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-1, 6-4.

Muchova lost to eventual champion Coco Gauff in the 2023 semis in Flushing Meadows, then missed nearly 10 months because of a wrist injury she suffered during the tournament.

Mlademovic-Shuai advance to doubles final >> Kristina Mladenovic and Zhang Shuai stopped Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova’s bid for a second straight major women’s doubles title, beating the No. 3 seeds 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 at the U.S. Open.

Mladenovic and Shuai will play Friday against the No. 7-seeded team of Jelena Ostapenko and Lyudmyla Kichenok.

Paralympics

Americans Lambert and Wallace form unlikely long jump partnership >> Noelle Lambert and Jarryd Wallace compete in para athletics, Wallace in the T64 category for athletes with below-the-knee amputations and Lambert in T63, for athletes with above-the-knee amputations. Wallace and Lambert are teammates despite being in different stages of their careers, they have both found a new passion in their shared transition from sprinting to the long jump at this year’s Paralympic Games.

The athletes are ready to take their first jumps on to the Paralympic stage, Wallace on Wednesday and Lambert on Thursday.

Masters claims her eighth gold medal >> Oksana Masters has claimed another gold medal at the Paralympic Games by defending her title in para cycling’s H4-5 individual time trial.

The American multi-sport specialist clocked 23 minutes, 45.20 seconds to finish 6.24 seconds ahead of Chantal Haenen of the Netherlands and a whopping 1 minute, 27.87 seconds ahead of China’s Sun Bianbian.

It takes Masters’ career total to eight golds — and 18 medals overall — from both summer and winter Games.

Italian Vio settles for bronze >> Italian fencing star Bebe Vio had to be content with the bronze medal after China’s Xiao Rong ended her dream of a third consecutive gold in wheelchair fencing.

Vio cried after losing 15-9 to Xiao in the semifinals, then again after beating another Chinese fencer, Su Kang, 15-7 in their repechage round 4 bout to reach the bronze medal decider in the women’s foil category B for fencers who have a disability that prevents voluntary movement of their trunk.

Soccer

Atlanta United fire Bocanegra >> Carlos Bocanegra, who helped build Atlanta United into an MLS champion in just its second season but couldn’t get the club back to that level, was fired as technical director.

Bocanegra was dismissed with seven games left in another disappointing season.

United is mired in ninth place in the Eastern Conference with just eight wins in 27 matches.

Osimhen leaves Napoli on loan >> Victor Osimhen finally found a way out of Napoli when a loan deal with Turkish club Galatasaray.

Napoli said the deal lasts through the end of the season, and that Osimhen also extended his contract with the Italian club for one more year, through 2026-27.

Inter Miami Stadium wont open until 2026 >> Inter Miami revealed that it will not open a long-awaited, oft-delayed new stadium near Miami International Airport until 2026.

Jorge Mas, one of the team’s owners, previously told multiple outlets that he was targeting a 2025 opening for the stadium.