Quarterback Matthew Stafford is staying with the Los Angeles Rams under a restructured contract, ending weeks of speculation about the Super Bowl winner’s future.

The Rams announced their new agreement with Stafford on Friday without initially revealing any details.

The 37-year-old Stafford had two years left on the four-year, $160 million contract extension he signed in 2022, shortly after leading Los Angeles to a championship in his first season with the team.

But his $27 million salary for the upcoming season was significantly less than the compensation for most quarterbacks of Stafford’s stature, and the deal had only $4 million in guaranteed money remaining in 2025 and none in 2026.

Stafford reached a deal to get more guaranteed money last year on the day before training camp opened, and he engaged the Rams on a second renegotiation in recent weeks. The Rams apparently were reluctant to meet Stafford’s initial demands, even allowing the quarterback to get an assessment of his value to other teams in view of a possible trade.

Rams keep Jackson on Stafford’s blind side

Left tackle Alaric Jackson has agreed to terms on a three-year, $57 million deal to stay with the Los Angeles Rams, a person with knowledge of the deal tells The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity Friday because the Rams haven’t formally announced the deal with Jackson, their starting left tackle for the past two seasons.

He was scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent this spring, but the Rams instead locked him up through the 2027 season.

College hockey

Gopher men drop OT game at Penn State

Minnesota went to Penn State for a weekend series knowing they can still win the Big Ten Conference title. That goal remains alive, but barely after a 4-3 overtime loss at Pegula Arena.

Jimmy Snuggerud tied the game 3-3 midway through the third period, but Penn State’s Simon Mack scored with 1 minute, 51 seconds left in overtime to left the Nittany Lions to their 13th win in 14 games.

Mason Nevers and Connor Kurth also scored goals, and Liam Souliere, who spent his first four years of eligibility at Penn State, stopped 24 of 28 shots for the Gophers. Their point for the overtime loss tied them with Michigan State, a 5-2 winner at Notre Dame, atop the conference standings with 47 points and indentical 14-5-4 records.

According to Big Ten Conference rules, if both teams remain tied after Saturday’s games, the tiebreaker will fall to best record against their remaining conference opponents. Minnesota has won Big Ten regular-season or tournament titles in three of the past four years.

St. Thomas women lose playoff opener at Ohio St.

The St. Thomas women’s hockey team traveled to face No. 2 Ohio State in the first round of the WCHA tournament, losing the first game 5-1 on Friday in the best-of-three series.

The Buckeyes scored just 91 seconds into the game and the Tommies could only manage an unassisted goal from Cara Sajevic in the third period after Ohio State already led 4-0. Goaltender Dani Strom made 37 saves for St. Thomas (9-24-2, 6-21-1 WCHA).

The two teams play the second game of the series at 2 p.m. today in Columbus, Ohio.

St. Thomas men hold on to beat Michigan Tech

Ethan Gauer, Ryan O’neill, Lucas Wahlin and Casy Laylin scored as St. Thomas men’s hockey team built a 4-0 lead on Friday at home against Michigan Tech, eventually holding on for a 4-3 victory.

Laylin added an assist for the Tommies (15-13-5, 12-9-4 CCHA), while Jake Sibell made 30 saves in goal.

GOlf

Knapp goes from 59 to 70 but still leads

Jake Knapp was 11 shots worse than his opening round at the Cognizant Classic and still stayed in front, curling in a 15-foot birdie putt on his final hole Friday for a 1-under 70 and a one-shot lead over Matthieu Pavon.

Knapp, who made 12 birdies Thursday for the 15th round of 59 or lower on the PGA Tour, went 10 holes without a birdie.

One player had reason to celebrate, along with shedding a few tears. Florida State junior Luke Clanton easily made the cut with a 5-under 66 — he was just four shots behind — giving him enough points for the 21-year-old to get a PGA Tour card after the NCAA Championships at the end of May.

Ko moves within shot of lead in Singapore

Olympic gold medalist and LPGA Hall of Famer Lydia Ko moved to within a shot of the lead with a 5-under 67 Friday after two rounds of the HSBC Women’s World Championship.

The South Korean-born New Zealander had a two-round total of 6-under 138 on the Tanjong course at Sentosa Golf Club. First-round leader A Lim Kim held the lead after 36 holes with a 69 Friday.

hockey

Man re-bailed in case of hockey player death

A man who was arrested more than a year ago on suspicion of manslaughter in the death of ice hockey player Adam Johnson was again re-bailed on Friday.

Johnson played for the Nottingham Panthers and died shortly after his neck had been sliced in a collision with Sheffield Steelers defenseman Matt Petgrave during a game on Oct. 28, 2023.

A man was arrested two weeks later and though South Yorkshire Police have not publicly identified him, Petgrave himself said in a crowdfunding appeal for legal fees that he’s the subject of a police investigation.

He has been re-bailed several times — this one extending to May 29. No criminal charges have been filed.

Briefly

MLB >> Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Shohei Ohtani hit a solo home run in his first spring training plate appearance on Friday night following offseason shoulder surgery.

MLB >> Yankees right-hander Luis Gil will have an MRI after the AL Rookie of the Year experienced shoulder tightness during a bullpen session, manager Aaron Boone said, according to New York media.

— From news services