LAKE FOREST, Illinois - Chicago Bears punter Brad
Maynard, who is on the verge of setting a franchise record for
punting yards in a season, agreed to a five-year extension
Friday that keeps him under contract through 2010.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
With 4,413 yards on 102 punts this season, Maynard heads into
Sunday's finale against Green Bay needing 119 yards to set a
team mark.
Already third on Chicago's all-time list in career punts with
355, Maynard ranks seventh in the NFL this season with a
43.3-yard gross average and leads the league with 31 punts
inside the 20.
The eight-year veteran began his career with the New York Giants
in 1997. After four seasons with the Giants, Maynard signed
with the Bears on March 3, 2001.
Maynard has played in all 127 games in his career and earlier
this season became the 11th active punter with 30,000 punt
yards.
As a rookie, he set a single-season NFL record with 111 punts.
In his last game with the Giants, he established a Super Bowl
record with 11 punts.