PITTSBURGH — Darryl Drake, the Pittsburgh Steelers wide receivers coach who spent more than 30 years molding players at the position at the college and professional level, has died. He was 62.
The team said Drake, who joined the coaching staff in 2018, died early Sunday morning.
“Darryl had such an impact on the players he coached and everyone he worked with throughout his entire career,” Steelers President Art Rooney II said. “He was a passionate coach and had a tremendous spirit toward life, his family, his faith and the game of football.”
Drake, a native of Louisville, Kentucky, played collegiately at Western Kentucky. He spent one season in the Canadian Football League and participated in two NFL training camps before returning to Western Kentucky to pursue a master’s degree. He went into coaching as a graduate assistant at Western Kentucky in 1983, the beginning of a career that included stops in the college ranks at Georgia, Baylor and Texas.
Pittsburgh canceled practices at Saint Vincent College on both Sunday and Monday after announcing Drake’s death.
JETS: Kicker Chandler Catanzaro retired after a shaky start to training camp. The team signed kicker Taylor Bertolet to replace him.
BILLS: Buffalo signed veteran defensive end Sam Acho and released guard Vlad Duccasse.
Acho has eight seasons of NFL experience and spent the past four with the Chicago Bears, where he had four sacks in 51 games.
Duccasse is a nine-year veteran who had one season left on the three-year contract he signed with Buffalo in 2017.
49ERS: Tackle Shon Coleman will be placed on season-ending injury reserve after having surgery for a broken fibula and dislocated ankle suffered in Saturday’s exhibition opener against Dallas.
The Niners lost three other players to injuries in the game, with linebacker Elijah Lee expected to miss two weeks after undergoing surgery Sunday on his thumb, Defensive tackle D.J. Jones is week to week because of a sprained knee, and running back Raheem Mostert is in concussion protocol.
TITANS: Rookie wide receiver A.J. Brown returned to practice after hurting his left leg on the opening day of Tennessee camp.
Brown was the second player on the field Sunday for practice and was wearing a helmet for the first time since July 26.
He warmed up with the Titans, then went to a side field where he worked with Coach Mike Vrabel and fellow receiver Corey Davis. Both receivers then went inside.
GIANTS: Cornerback DeAndre Baker, the last of New York’s three first-round draft picks, sprained his left knee in practice.
Baker injured the knee doing individual drills early in the non-contact portion of the workout.
VIKINGS-RAVENS TRADE: Looking for solutions to its longtime kicking issues, Minnesota traded for Kaare Vedvik from the Ravens.
Vedvik has kicked and punted for Baltimore, which was set at the position with standouts Justin Tucker and Sam Koch.
Vedvik spent the entire 2018 season on the non-football injury list for Baltimore after he was assaulted and suffered injuries.
CARDINALS: Executive Ron Minegar was arrested on suspicion of DUI.
Police in Chandler, Arizona, said Minegar, 60, was stopped around 11:30 p.m. Saturday for speeding, failure to drive within one lane of traffic and driving within the bicycle lane.
In a statement, the Cardinals called Minegar’s decision to drive after drinking alcohol “inexcusable” and added “we fully recognize the seriousness of these actions and they will have serious consequences.”
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