Bears reward kicker Santos with contract extension

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Bears rewarded kicker Cairo Santos for a club-record season with a contract extension, the team announced on Thursday.

The team said the extension is for three years, but a person familiar with the situation said Santos and the Bears agreed to a five-year, $16 million contract that is voidable to three years at $11 million maximum. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because financial terms of the deal had not been announced.

Santos took advantage of his opportunity after Eddy Pineiro injured his groin in August, making 30 of 32 field goals and 36 of 37 extra points. He set a franchise record for consecutive field goals made and gave the Bears the stability they’d been seeking since they cut Robbie Gould before the 2016 season.

Santos made his final 27 attempts in the regular season plus a 36-yarder on his lone try in a wild-card loss at New Orleans. Gould held the Bears previous records for consecutive field goals in a season (24 in 2006) and overall (26 from 2005-06).

Santos has made 138 of 166 field goals and 197 of 204 extra points over seven seasons with Kansas City, the Los Angeles Rams, Tampa Bay, Tennessee and Chicago.

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