Browns re-sign long snapper Ryan Pontbriand

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Ryan Pontbriand, regarded as one of the NFL’s premier long snappers, signed a four-year contract extension Tuesday, a deal that will keep the specialist with the club through 2011. Former Browns coach Butch Davis was laughed at when he used a fifth-round draft pick (No. 142 overall) in 2003 to select Pontbriand, who played at Rice. Typically, teams will use one of their backup linemen to handle snapping duties. But Pontbriand has been steady and nearly flawless while snapping for punts, field goals and extra points in 59 games since ’03. Last season, Pontbriand helped punter Dave Zastudil record a career-high 44.0-yard average per kick. In 2005, the 6-foot-2, 255-pound Pontbriand handled the snaps when kicker Phil Dawson made a career-high 27 field goals and scored 100 points. The Browns have given long-term deals to several of their top special teams players including Zastudil, Dawson and punt/kick returner Joshua Cribbs.

Giants

Michael Strahan dropped thoughts of retirement and returned to the New York Giants for a 15th season because his desire to play football and his love of the game were rekindled.

He also, not incidentally, still wants a Super Bowl ring.

“You know you just want to come back,” a bearded Strahan said Tuesday after rejoining the team and practicing. “I felt I wanted to play football, plain and simple. I wanted to enjoy it. I wanted to come here and enjoy myself, play football, enjoy my teammates and the fans and just do it — do it one more time.”

Strahan, who accumulated fines in excess of $500,000 during his holdout, left open the possibility he will play beyond the 2007 season, which begins for the Giants Sunday night in Dallas.

Neither Strahan nor coach Tom Coughlin was certain the 35-year-old would play in Dallas. The Giants have a two-game roster exemption in case he isn’t