Greg Olsen Signs 2-Year Extension Carolina Panthers: Report

WAYNE, NJ — Carolina Panthers tight end and Wayne Hills alumnus Greg Olsen signed a two-year contract extension with the Carolina Panthers.

Olsen said in a tweet earlier this month that he intends to play another three to five years. He contemplated his NFL future and going into broadcasting, ESPN reported recently.

The deal is worth $8.5 million a season, ESPN's report said.

"Both sides were very fair and worked on it in a timely manner," Olsen said in a statement Thursday. "I feel really good about what we were able to get done both for ourselves and the team."

Olsen, 33, interviewed for the Monday Night Football analyst job Joe Gruden previously had before he left to become head coach of the Oakland Raiders, ESPN reported.

Olsen said on Twitter that he never gave the Panthers an ultimatum regarding his contract or lack of commitment to the upcoming season.

Olsen is a four-time team captain, three-time Pro Bowler and played in Super Bowl 50. He is the first tight end in NFL history to have three consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons.

Olsen volunteers much of his time to charitable organizations in the Carolina area and has founded two nonprofits: Receptions for Research: The Greg Olsen Foundation in 2009 after his mother Sue survived breast cancer. The foundation's Receiving Hope program focuses on cancer research, support and education.

In early 2013, Olsen and his wife Kara founded the HEARTest Yard Fund after a routine examination of their unborn son, T.J., showed he had a congenital defect.

Olsen was nominated the past two years for the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. He lost to the Giants' Eli Manning and Arizona Cardinals' Larry Fitzgerald last season and the Houston Texans' J.J. Watt earlier this year.

Lets try it another way 1) Team was first to know about ESPN Audition. Made it clear at that point my desire to play 3-5 more years with PANTHERS 2) Never gave team ultimatum regarding my contract or lack of commitment to this upcoming season Now back to OTAs
— Greg Olsen (@gregolsen88) April 18, 2018

Related: Wayne's Greg Olsen Misses Out On NFL Man Of The Year Award

Email daniel.hubbard@patch.com. Get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our new app. Download here.

Photo: Greg Olsen of the Carolina Panthers stands on the field before their game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium in September 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)