NEW YORK (Reuters) - Veteran safety Oshiomogho Atogwe celebrated his 29th birthday on Wednesday by agreeing to a multi-year contract with the St. Louis Rams.
Selected by the Rams in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft, Atogwe signed the deal three weeks after becoming an unrestricted free agent.
"I'm at peace," Atogwe said on a conference call after the end of negotiations lasting more than a year between the safety and the Rams. "I am very excited to be coming back.
"It was a long, drawn-out process but I believe it was supposed to be that way just so that the right decision could be made."
Atogwe has started 60 of 72 career games with the Rams and last season ranked second on the team with 82 tackles.
"We are excited to have O.J. back in the fold," Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo said in a statement. "We were always hopeful for this result. We look forward to having his leadership, character and talent back on our defense."
(Writing by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Steve Ginsburg)
