PITTSBURGH -- As he lay on the Heinz Field turf last September, his right knee in tatters, Maurkice Pouncey admits there was a small part of him that feared his football career might be in jeopardy. Jacob deGrom Jersey . The Pittsburgh Steelers never doubted. They signed him to a five-year contract extension Thursday that averages $8.8 million per season, making Pouncey the highest-paid centre in the NFL. Words cant explain it," Pouncey said while fighting back tears, barely nine months removed from a torn ACL that ended his 2013 season moments after it began. The only centre in league history to make the Pro Bowl in each of his first three seasons is nearly all the way back from surgery to repair the knee after teammate David DeCastro fell on it eight plays into last falls season opener against Tennessee. The 24-year-old Pouncey insists hes "totally fine." The new financial deal puts him just ahead of the agreement signed by Clevelands Alex Mack in April. However, getting paid was the least of Pounceys concerns. Entering the final year of the contract he signed after the Steelers took him with the 18th overall selection in the 2010 draft, Pouncey simply ordered agent Jason Segal to get to work. "I didnt have much role in it," Pouncey said. "I told my agent to get it done as soon as possible so we could move on to other things." Namely getting the Steelers back into the post-season. Considered one of the most athletic linemen at any position in the NFL, Pouncey provides Pittsburgh with a gifted anchor to protect quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. "That group up front is a special group as it is," Roethlisberger said. "Hes the glue that holds them all together." Even if the glue comes at a significant price. Pouncey has only played a full 16-game schedule once in his first four seasons and was forced to sit out Pittsburghs loss to Green Bay in the 2011 Super Bowl with a sprained ankle. Though he wont turn 25 until August, he finds himself as the linchpin of a unit whose oldest player is 28-year-old guard Ramon Foster. "Hes worked his butt off man," Foster said of Pouncey. "Its good to see his hard work is coming around to him. Were glad to have him back and the team commit to him like that." Its a commitment that never wavered as Pouncey underwent surgery and a grueling rehab last fall. Although Roethlisberger maintains Pouncey could have returned before the end of the 2013 season, the arduous recovery process isnt quite over. While Pouncey was a full participant in organized team activities that wrapped up on Thursday, he remains involved in near daily rehab work. The goal is to be 100 per cent by training camp in July. The contract means Pouncey wont have to deal with any potential distractions about his future. Besides, he never planned on leaving anyway. Free agency didnt appeal to him, particularly after the loyalty shown by the Steelers from the moment they chose him to follow in a line of great centres that includes Hall of Famers Mike Webster and Dermontti Dawson. Pounceys career arc is trending in that direction. Having the game taken away from him last September makes him eager to get back to work. "Ill do anything for this team," Pouncey said. "Theres true love here." Nolan Ryan Mets Jersey . You can watch all the action on TSN and TSN GO beginning at 8:30pm et/5:30pm pt. Minnesota dropped the first two tests of this best-of-seven set at Chicagos United Center and was outscored by a combined 9-3 margin in those setbacks. However, the Wild righted themselves at home by taking Game 3 by a 4-0 count before knotting the series at two games apiece with Fridays 4-2 triumph at Xcel Energy Center. Zack Wheeler White Jersey . Danks (1-8) lost his first eight decisions in the worst opening to a season by a White Sox starter since 1942. The lefty looked like his 15-game winning self of a year ago, allowing just one unearned run on seven hits with striking out six and walking just one in 7 1/3 innings. GREEN BAY, Wis. -- With their own star quarterback and a dominating defence, the New York Giants exposed the Green Bay Packers for what they now are -- former Super Bowl champions. The Packers dropped passes, fumbled the ball and simply couldnt stop Eli Manning and his receivers in the Giants shocking 37-20 divisional playoff victory Sunday. To the Giants delight, a Green Bay team that had a real shot at an undefeated season less than a month ago is heading home. And that the win came at Lambeau Field, well, that was just as sweet. The site has become a familiar launching pad for the New Yorkers. After beating the Packers (15-2) at home for the second time in four years, they only hope this trip ends the same way -- in the NFL title game. The Giants will play the 49ers in San Francisco for the NFC championship next Sunday. "I think were a dangerous team," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. "I like where we are and how were playing." The Giants (11-7) have been on a roll ever since beating the rival Jets on Dec. 24, beating the Dallas Cowboys to get in the playoffs and then blowing out Atlanta in the wild card round last week. They took down the Packers on Sunday, as Manning threw for 330 yards and three touchdowns. The Giants are 3-4 against the 49ers in the playoffs, including their memorable collapse in a wild card game at San Francisco on Jan. 5, 2003. New York led 38-14 in the third quarter but fell apart and lost 39-38. That probably wont be much of a worry for this years Giants, who were oozing confidence even before they beat the Packers. "This team knows how to win on the road," defensive end Justin Tuck said. "It seems like right now its our time." The Giants stunned the Packers with a touchdown off a long heave from Manning to Hakeem Nicks just before halftime, then knocked them out with a late touchdown off a turnover. Lambeau Field fell silent as the Giants swarmed the field in celebration, with a handful of New York fans chanting, "Lets go, Giants!" "I knew we were going to beat them on Wednesday, to be honest with you," running back Brandon Jacobs said. The win came four years after the Giants beat a Brett Favre-led Packers team in the NFC title game. It wasnt nearly as frigid this time around, and the Packers vulnerable defence seemed to be waiting to get sliced up. Manning found six different receivers against a porous Packers defence. But Manning did the most damage with his throws to Nicks, who caught seven passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns. Nicks biggest play was a 66-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter. His score at the end of the half came on a 37-yard pass into the end zone with defenders all around. "It was a big momentum play for them, but we were not deflated as a football team," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. The Giants defence also was able to defuse the big-play abilities of Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offence. Rodgers was 26 of 46 for 264 yards, with two touchdowns and an interception. He also was the Packers leading rusher with 66 yards on seven carries. The Packers fully expected to go back to the Super Bowl, but the reality hit Rodgers quickly. Matt Harvey White Jersey. "Oh, its real," Rodgers said. "We got beat by a team that played better tonight. "We play to win championships. You win a championship and youre kind of at the top of the mountain, and you forget kind of how bad this feeling is. We had a championship-calibre regular season and didnt play well today." The Packers past problems with dropped balls by their talented group of wide receivers returned at the worst time imaginable. And while the Packers defence has been vulnerable all season, giving up far too many yards and big plays, theyve typically made up for it by forcing turnovers. This time, the Packers were the ones giving the ball away. Green Bay lost three fumbles, including one on a rare giveaway by Rodgers. The Giants also sacked Rodgers four times. With the Packers trailing 20-10 at halftime but finally beginning to look like themselves on offence to start the second half, Osi Umenyiora swatted the ball away from Rodgers, and Deon Grant recovered the fumble. "With a 10-point lead, were going to get after you," Umenyiora said. "And thats what we did." But the mistake didnt cost the Packers points, and Green Bay cut the lead to seven points on a 35-yard field goal by Mason Crosby late in the third quarter. The Packers put together another drive early in the fourth quarter, but Michael Boley and Umenyiora combined to sack Rodgers on fourth-down play in Giants territory. After carving up the Packers in the first half, the Giants offence hit a lull in the second half. But they broke out of it to drive for a 35-yard field goal by Lawrence Tynes to take a 23-13 lead with 7:48 left to play. Packers running back Ryan Grant then fumbled after catching a pass and the Giants recovered, taking the ball back deep into Green Bay territory. Manning then threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Mario Manningham and the Giants took a 30-13 lead. Rodgers rallied the Packers for a 16-yard touchdown pass to Donald Driver, cutting the lead to 30-20 with 4:46 left. The Packers then tried on onside kick, but the Giants Victor Cruz recovered. Jacobs scored on a 14-yard run with 2:36 left to put the game away. It was an emotional day for the Packers, who welcomed offensive co-ordinator Joe Philbin two days after the funeral service for his 21-year-old son, Michael. Philbin had been away from the team all week after Michael Philbins body was recovered from an icy river in Oshkosh, Wis. on Monday. A preliminary autopsy showed that he drowned. "I think deep down, a lot of us wanted to kind of get this one for him," Rodgers said. Notes: Giants safety Deon Grant left the game with a head injury. ... Packers running back John Kuhn left the game with a knee injury, and wide receiver Greg Jennings sustained a rib injury. ... Driver caught three passes, giving him a franchise-record 49 post-season receptions in his career. ... Packers LB Brad Jones blocked a 40-yard field goal attempt by Tynes in the second quarter. cheap custom jerseys wholesale jerseys store cheap jerseys Cheap Jerseys wholesale jerseys ' ' '