LDN - Sports

NFL notebook: Chiefs' Hill on 'new journey' to better his life

[July 29, 2019] Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill, a two-time First-Team All-Pro and a three-time Pro Bowl selection, addressed the media on Sunday for the first time after a turbulent offseason and spoke of how he has embarked on a journey toward self-improvement.

"I can't wait for my new journey, man. I'm excited," Hill, 25, said. "I'm working every day to be a better father, better person, better citizen, a better son, too, to my parents. ... My mom kept telling me ‘Reek, you need to grow. You need to add layers to yourself because if a tree grows, it doesn't go back.' So, I don't want to go back. I want to grow every day of my life."

The Chiefs suspended Hill while he was under investigation following allegations of child abuse when his 3-year-old son suffered a broken arm. The NFL ruled last week that since the police investigation did not find enough evidence to charge Hill, he wouldn't be punished or suspended by the league.

The Chiefs suspended Hill after an audio recording of a fight between Hill and fiancée Crystal Espinal was made public in April. He said Sunday he wasn't aware of the tape's existence until it was released.

--Cincinnati Bengals star receiver A.J. Green has torn ligaments in his left ankle and will be sidelined 6-8 weeks, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported.

The seven-time Pro Bowl selection is not expected to be ready for the Bengals' Sept. 8 season opener at Seattle, per the report.

Green, who turns 31 on Wednesday, was carted off the field Saturday during the team's first training camp practice at the University of Dayton. He has caught 602 passes for 8,907 yards and 63 touchdowns in 111 games since the Bengals selected him fourth overall in the 2011 NFL Draft.

--Oakland Raiders wide receiver Antonio Brown passed his physical and practiced on Sunday, two days after he was placed on the non-football injury list.

Shortly after Brown arrived at training camp Friday in Napa Valley in a hot air balloon, he was placed on the NFI list with an undisclosed injury.

The Raiders acquired the seven-time Pro Bowl selection from the Pittsburgh Steelers in a trade in March and later signed him to a three-year, $50.125 million contract.

--Dallas Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence said he expects to sit out all of training camp as he recovers from offseason shoulder surgery.

Lawrence delayed the shoulder surgery until after he signed a five-year, $105 million contract that includes $65 million in guarantees.

[to top of second column]

Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) catches a pass during training camp at Missouri Western State University. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

"I have a date in my mind when I'm going to be ready, and that's the season opener," Lawrence said. "I'm not saying I'm going to overload my workload for the season opener (Sept. 8) or what they want to do with me or have me off the PUP (physically unable to perform) list by the season opener, but hopefully be ready by the season opener."

--Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry is not practicing due to a lower leg injury and there is no timetable for his return, coach Mike Vrabel said.

Henry reportedly was spotted at training camp Friday in a walking boot. Henry, 25, posted career highs with 1,059 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns last season.

He had a record-tying 99-yard touchdown run against Jacksonville in Week 14. Henry has accumulated 2,293 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns plus 39 catches for 372 yards and one score in 47 games since the Titans drafted him in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

--Free agent guard Patrick Omameh had a tryout with the New Orleans Saints, multiple outlets reported.

The 29-year-old has started 56 of his 67 games with four teams since going undrafted out of Michigan in 2013.

Omameh signed a three-year, $15 million contract with the New York Giants in March 2018 and started the first six games last season.

--The New York Giants signed a pair of wide receivers after holding tryouts to bolster a position that's been depleted early on in training camp.

T.J. Jones and Amba Etta-Tawo were signed after several wideouts participated in tryouts on Saturday morning. Jones, 27, was a sixth-round pick by the Detroit Lions in 2014. In four seasons with the Lions, Jones played in 42 games and had 64 catches for 814 yards and four touchdowns.

Etta-Tawo, 25, has bounced around a few practice squads in the NFL since going undrafted in 2017. He also played briefly for the Birmingham Iron in the short-lived Alliance of American Football.

--Field Level Media

Back to top