Cornerback Herb Adderley, who played on six NFL title teams over a 12-year career with Green Bay and Dallas, has died. He was 81. Associated Press

Herb Adderley, the Hall of Fame cornerback who joined the NFL as a running back and became part of a record six championship teams with the Packers and Cowboys, has died. He was 81.

His death was confirmed on Twitter on Friday by cousin Nasir Adderley, a safety for the Los Angeles Chargers. No details were given. He called him a “unique soul who has had such an incredible influence on my life.”

Herb Adderley played in four of the first six Super Bowls and won five NFL championships with Green Bay and one with Dallas during his 12-year career.

But he was always a Packer at heart.

“I’m the only man with a Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl ring who doesn’t wear it. I’m a Green Bay Packer,” Adderley said in the book “Distant Replay,” a memoir by former Packers teammate Jerry Kramer.

Along with former teammates Fuzzy Thurston and Forrest Gregg, Adderley is one of three players in pro football history to play on six championship teams. He was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980.

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Born on June 8, 1939, in Philadelphia, Adderley was a three-sport star in high school. He excelled at running back at Michigan State and was the 12th pick overall of the 1961 draft. He came to training camp expecting to compete for a starting job against future Hall of Fame running backs Jim Taylor and Paul Hornung.

Midway through the season, Packers coach Vince Lombardi switched Adderley to defense to replace injured starter Hank Gremminger.

The move paid immediate dividends.

Adderley’s speed and instincts made him a quick learner in his new position, which helped propel him into a stalwart of Green Bay’s secondary. Adderley intercepted 48 passes, returning them for 1,046 yards and seven touchdowns for his career.

The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Adderley had a career-best seven interceptions in 1962. He also led the league in interceptions in 1965 and 1969. Adderley also returned kickoffs in all but the final year of his playing days with the Packers, averaging 25.7 yards per return.

In the early days of football on television, Adderley made his appearances count and is most remembered for his postseason contributions.

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He was a member of all five of Lombardi’s NFL title teams and played in the first two Super Bowls. In the second Super Bowl in 1968, he returned an interception 60 yards for the clinching touchdown over the Raiders.

“I was too stubborn to switch him to defense until I had to,” Lombardi said. “Now when I think of what Adderley means to our defense, it scares me to think of how I almost mishandled him.”

Adderley played in two more Super Bowls with Dallas in 1971 and 1972, winning his sixth title with the Cowboys in his final season. Adderley was an All-Pro seven times from 1962-67 and again in 1969.

After his retirement, Adderley was a crusader for the rights of former players. In 2007, Adderley and two other retired players filed a class-action lawsuit against the NFL Players Association, alleging nonpayment of licensing fees. He had received only $126.85 per month in pension from the NFL.

He became the lead plaintiff in the case on behalf of more than 2,000 retired players who claimed the NFLPA breached licensing and marketing terms by using their images in video games, sports trading cards and other items. The case was settled for $26.25 million in 2009.

COVID-19: The NFL is recommending that players on the sidelines who are not participating in a game or about to go on the field wear protective masks.

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In a memo obtained by The Associated Press on Friday, the league’s management council also suggested the 32 teams enhance physical distancing on the sidelines while the NFL considers expanding the bench area.

The league also is offering an additional testing option for bus drivers retained by teams in the away city, prior to the team’s arrival.

Although the NFL stopped short of mandating masks for all players not on the field, it “strongly encouraged” all active players in the bench area who are not about to enter the game to wear masks while standing on the sideline and/or sitting on the bench.

GIANTS: New York’s offensive line is back at work after six members spent a day a home because of concerns about the coronavirus.

Starting tackles Andrew Thomas and Cam Fleming, center Nick Gates and backup linemen Shane Lemieux and Spencer Pulley practiced Friday after being told to stay away from the team because they had had close contract with starting guard Will Hernandez.

The Giants learned late Wednesday night that Hernandez tested positive for COVID-19. He immediately went into isolation and was placed on the COVID-19 list on Thursday. He will not play Monday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at MetLife Stadium.

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Under NFL protocols, anyone who had close contact with Hernandez could not enter the team facility until they tested negative for COVID-19. Gates said the two practiced Tuesday and ate lunch together. The players were off Wednesday.

BROWNS: Myles Garrett returned to practice after missing two days with an ankle injury and the Browns expect the NFL sacks leader to play Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Garrett tweaked his ankle last week in a win at Cincinnati and was held out of practice this week, mostly as a precaution because the Browns (5-2) do want to take any chances with their best defensive player.

Coach Kevin Stefanski believes Garrett will be able to handle his normal workload against the Raiders (3-3).

The Browns practiced indoors, so media members were unable to attend because of COVID-19 guidelines and were unable to gauge Garrett’s injury.

The No. 1 overall pick in 2017 leads the league with nine sacks and has made game-swinging plays in several of Cleveland’s victories. Garrett has taken his game up a level this season after being suspended for the final six games last year after he struck Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph in the head with a swung helmet.

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RAVENS: All-Pro left tackle Ronnie Stanley has signed a five-year extension that will keep him in Baltimore through the 2025 season.

The Ravens picked up the fifth-year option of Stanley’s rookie contract in 2019, a pact that was slated to expire after this season before the new deal announced by the team Friday.

“Ronnie is the mainstay on our offensive line. He’s a shutdown left tackle who excels on the field and in our community,” Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said. “This is just the beginning for Ronnie, and we could not be happier for him and his family.”

Drafted out of Notre Dame with the sixth overall pick in 2016, Stanley has been a mainstay at arguably the most important position on the offensive line. The 26-year-old Stanley missed just one game in each of the previous three seasons and has played in all six this year.

The 6-foot-6, 315-pounder helped the 2019 Ravens set single-season franchise records for total touchdowns (64), points (531) and total net yards (6,521). He was voted first-team All-Pro and selected to the Pro Bowl for the first time.

JETS: New York is likely to be without its top two wide receivers when it play the Chiefs in Kansas City on Sunday.

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Coach Adam Gase ruled out Breshad Perriman before practice Friday because the receiver remains in concussion protocol after his injury late in the Jets’ 18-10 loss to Buffalo last Sunday.

Jamison Crowder also appears unlikely to play with a groin injury that also kept him out last week.

49ERS: San Francisco will be without receiver Deebo Samuel and running back Jeff Wilson Jr. for its game against the Seattle Seahawks.

The Niners ruled Samuel out with a hamstring injury and Wilson with an ankle injury. The team is listing linebacker Kwon Alexander (ankle), receiver Richie James Jr. (ankle) and safety Jaquiski Tartt (groin) as doubtful. Defensive end Kentavius Street (illness) and safety Jimmie Ward (quadriceps) are questionable for Sunday’s game at Seattle.


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