N.Y. Giants agree to deal with Jason Pierre-Paul months after fireworks accident

Defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul and the New York Giants have agreed to a contract more than three months after he damaged his right hand in a fireworks accident in Florida.

The team announced the deal late Tuesday.

Pierre-Paul met with the team over the last two days and was given the OK to play by team doctors. Negotiations on a new contract followed because the Giants were not willing to have him sign the franchise tender that was offered before the July 4 accident.

Under that deal, Pierre-Paul would have made $871,000 per game. That was too steep a paycheck for the Giants because they are not sure how well he will be able to perform with the injury.

The new deal is believed to be loaded with incentives.

Ben Roethlisberger will play Sunday

Ben Roethlisberger is back for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Coach Mike Tomlin confirmed the news Tuesday, saying the two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback is preparing to play Sunday against unbeaten Cincinnati after missing four games with a sprained knee and bruised leg.

“We don’t have any reservations or limitations about his availability,� Tomlin said. “As I sit here today, we are comfortable with where he is in his overall availability this week.�

Roethlisberger initially feared the worst after he left in the third quarter of a September win at St. Louis, but he was relieved to learn the injury didn’t end his season.

Now, he’s returning on the early end of the four-to-six week timetable that was projected, and just in time.

Pittsburgh, which went 2-2 without Roethlisberger, is 4-3 overall and 2 1/2 games behind the Bengals for the top spot in the AFC North.

Texans release Ryan Mallett after he misses flight

Ryan Mallett finally ran out of chances in Houston and was released by the Texans on Tuesday.

The Texans released the quarterback after he missed the team’s charter flight to Florida this last weekend.

They announced the decision Tuesday and also placed Arian Foster on injured reserve, a day after Coach Bill O’Brien said he would miss the rest of the season with an Achilles tendon injury.

The 27-year-old Mallett said he missed the flight because of traffic and he took a commercial flight to meet the team in Miami, where the team was blown out, 44-26, and fell to 2-5.

Jerry Jones’ view on Greg Hardy unchanged

After Sunday’s loss to the New York Giants, Jerry Jones talked about Greg Hardy being “one of the real leaders� on the team when asked about his fourth-quarter sideline outburst.

The Cowboys owner and general manager said Hardy’s actions were the type that inspire those around him. But Jones also acknowledged he had not seen the entire episode.

Did his view change after getting an opportunity to watch an animated Hardy slap at a coach’s clipboard and shove several teammates?

“I don’t have any different view than I had Sunday,� Jones said Tuesday morning on 105.3 The Fan’s Shan and RJ show KRLD-FM.

Jones said the Cowboys had no discussions about disciplining Hardy for his actions and confirmed what executive vice president Stephen Jones said Monday, they would like to reach a long-term deal with the 27-year-old.

Etc.

Tampa Bay receiver Louis Murphy will miss the rest of the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.