AROUND THE NFL Saturday’s news & notes

GREEN BAY PACKERS

Former Fitch RB Darrin Hall claimed

GREEN BAY, WIS.

Former Austintown Fitch and University of Pittsburgh running back Darrin Hall was claimed by the Green Bay Packers off waivers from the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday.

Hall was originally signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent on May 3, but was released three days later and claimed by the Bengals.

The Packers tweeted Saturday evening that they had claimed Hall and the running back quickly retweeted his team, adding: “Thankful for another opportunity.”

The Packers also released guard Larry Williams.

The 6-foot, 217-pound Hall ran for 2,189 yards and 21 touchdowns for Pitt. He also caught 38 passes for 267 yards and a TD.

Hall posted career bests 1,144 yars and 153 carries as a senior for the Panthers in 2018. His 10 rushing TDs and 7.48 yards-per-carry average also were career bests. The 7.48-yard average is a Pitt record, topping Tony Dorsett’s 6.6-yard average in 1975.

The Packers announced that Hall will wear No. 34.

CINCINNATI BENGALS

A.J. Green hurt, carted off during practice

DAYTON

Near the end of a festive afternoon commemorating the NFL’s centennial season, the Cincinnati Bengals watched A.J. Green get carted off the field with an injury that left the receiver distraught.

“You never want to see that,” quarterback Andy Dalton said. “It’s unfortunate.”

One practice into coach Zac Taylor’s inaugural season, the last-place Bengals saw their most indispensable player crumple on the field. Green ran a deep sideline pattern during a 7-on-7 drill. Cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick bumped him as he knocked away the pass, and Green appeared to land awkwardly on the left foot.

He limped a few steps, crouched, limped a few more and then appeared to grab his mouth guard, flinging it to the ground. He sat down and trainers removed his left sock and examined the foot and ankle. Green was helped to the bench, which he angrily slammed with his hand. He buried his head in his arms as he was taken off the sideline on a cart for an exam.

Taylor had no information about the severity of the injury when practice ended. Kirkpatrick also was seen by a trainer.

“You don’t want to assume anything, but I think that we’ll be OK,” Taylor said, adding, “I don’t know; I shouldn’t speculate on anything.”

The practice was held at Welcome Stadium, an hour north of Cincinnati, as part of the league’s celebration of its 100th season. What’s considered the first game in NFL history was played in Dayton in 1920. A main attraction for the crowd of approximately 7,500 was watching Dalton and Green connect again.

Dalton missed the last five games last season with a torn thumb ligament. Green missed more than half the season with an injured big toe on his right foot that required surgery. When players reported for the start of camp on Friday, Green was upbeat about his condition.

“My body feels great, my legs feel great,” Green said Friday. “I started working out in February. I took a couple days off here and there, but it was just getting my toe right, getting my body back to where I need to be.”

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Cowher, Ward among Hall of Honor inductees

LATROBE, PA.

Four Pittsburgh Steelers legends will be added the team’s Hall of Honor, which was revealed Saturday at a press conference held at Saint Vincent College.

The Steelers will induct tight ends Larry Brown and Elbie Nickel, former head coach Bill Cowher, and wide receiver Hines Ward.

The team introduced the Hall of Honor in 2017. To be considered, a player must be retired at least three years and played a minimum of three seasons for the Steelers. Former coaches and contributors had to make significant contributions to the team and community.

The 2019 Steelers Hall of Honor Induction ceremony will be held on Sept. 29 in the PNC Champions Club at Heinz Field. Members of the Hall of Honor class will be presented with a steel football, a replica of one presented to Art Rooney Sr. by the U.S. Steel Corporation at the team’s 50th Season celebration.

NEW YORK GIANTS

WR Tate suspended for fertility drug use

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.

New York Giants wide receiver Golden Tate has been suspended for four games for using a drug prescribed for fertility planning.

The 10-year veteran, who signed with the Giants in March as a free agent, announced the suspension in a Twitter post Saturday. He said he plans to appeal the violation of the NFL’s policy on performance enhancers and that he would have no further comment.

The NFL has not announced the suspension and it had no comment, league spokesman Brian McCarthy said in an email to The Associated Press.

Giants coach Pat Shurmur declined comment, saying the team will see what happens.

Tate practiced Saturday and he can practice throughout training camp. He will not be able to play in the first four regular-season games unless his suspension is overturned. That rarely happens.

Tate, who signed a four-year, $37.5 million contract, including $23 million guaranteed, and general manager Dave Gettleman spoke to the media on Friday. Neither mentioned the suspension.

The Giants’ receiving corps has been swamped by injuries in the first three days of training camp.

Sterling Shepard, who was supposed to take over as the No. 1 receiver with the trade of Odell Beckham Jr. to Cleveland, broke his left thumb in the opening practice on Thursday. It was disclosed the following day that wideout and kickoff returner Corey Coleman tore an ACL in the same workout.

Rookie Darius Slayton, the fifth-round draft choice, has missed the first two workouts with a hamstring injury. Brittan Golden sustained a groin injury late Friday.

The Tate suspension is the latest blow.

In his statement, Tate said he and his wife met with a fertility specialist in April. He took a prescribed drug and learned shortly after an ingredient was a substance banned by the league. Tate said he reported the problem to the independent administrator of the NFL policy on performance-enhancing Substances, and alerted his coaches and general manager.

Tate is confident his appeal has merit. He said he has never violated the league’s rules on banned substances and the treatment will have no effect on the 2019 season.

Speaking to the media for the first time since breaking his thumb, Shepard believes he will be ready for the season opener at Dallas on Sept. 8. He said the thumb is not causing much pain. He hopes to start catching passes in a couple of weeks.

The Giants have three veterans who have been starters in Russell Shepard, Cody Latimer and Bennie Fowler, with the latter two playing on the Denver Broncos’ Super Bowl winning team in February 2016.

“We will be fine,” Sterling Shepard said. “Like I said, we have guys that will step up. This is the NFL, everybody can play and they will have an opportunity to showcase their abilities.”

Russell Shepard felt the receiving room might have be deepest on the team. He also knows social media are saying the injuries have left the Giants with nothing at the position.

“That’s how we like it, we have nothing to lose,” Russell Shepard said. “That’s what you want. You want people to doubt you so you can prove them wrong.”

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

Tyreek Hill feted by fans as camp begins

ST. JOSEPH, Mo.

Thousands of Chiefs fans chanted Tyreek Hill’s name as he pranced toward the practice field for the first full-squad workout of training camp Saturday. It’s the first time the star wide receiver has practiced with his teammates since the AFC title game.

Hill thumped his chest, signed autographs, high-stepped across one practice field and played to the fans just over a week after the NFL said he would face no punishment from a messy offseason situation.

The two-time All-Pro was suspended by the team during the NFL draft when audio surfaced of his then-fiance, Crystal Espinal, accusing him of hurting their 3-year-old son. But a criminal investigation and subsequent league inquiries failed to find enough evidence to support the claims.

When the NFL announced last week it would not suspend Hill this season, the Chiefs wasted little time in confirming he would report to camp on the campus of Missouri Western State University.

Associated Press