Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin kicked off the Yankees’ 14th annual HOPE week by throwing out the first pitch at New York’s Monday night game against the Baltimore Orioles. The Hope Week Initiative will run from July 3-7 and was founded to spread encouragement through acts of goodwill and to generate awareness for special causes and organizations. Hamlin went to Yankee Stadium before the first pitch with certified CPR instructors to educate Yankees players and New York City Public School Athletics League personnel. Damar with the teachers and coaches, also toured the stadium and attended batting practice. Speaking to the press, he gave a “big thank you’’ to the Yankees for taking time from their season to focus on this type of cause. “It’s a crazy feeling,” Hamlin said. “It makes me feel like I’m doing my part and making an impact in changing the world. That’s been my goal for my entire life. Before any of you probably even knew me, I had my eye set on making an impact on the world someway, somehow. I didn’t know how it would be, but I’m fine with this platform, and I’m fine with this story, as well. I’m going to continue to keep doing my part and making an impact on the world and changing things.” Damar getting selected as a HOPE Week participant comes six months after he suffered a cardiac arrest following a collision with Cincinnati wide receiver Tee Higgins during a January 2nd game between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals. He needed to be resuscitated on the field through CPR and the use of a defibrillator. He was then transported to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he was said to be in critical condition and spent almost a week there before getting well enough to fly to Buffalo for further treatment. Since Hamlin was discharged from the Buffalo General Medical Center on January 11, he has received full clearance from doctors for an NFL return, and he took part in team drills for the first time during organized team activities on June 6.  However, beyond his quest to return to the gridiron, Damar has also undergone huge efforts to spread CPR awareness across the country. He launched a multi-city CPR tour in June through his foundation, Chasing M’s which got over $9 million in donations as a result of his on-field collapse. The tour was created for distributing medical equipment, like automated external defibrillators (AEDs), and to educate youth sports players and coaches on resuscitation techniques. The Bills also offered hands-only CPR training events locally through a partnership with the American Heart Association. Back on the road to the football field and committed to making a difference along the way, mounting the mound at Yankee Stadium on Monday was Hamlin’s latest inspirational stop. Related News: Andy Dalton Panthers QB declares himself ‘as a starter in this league’ Hassan Haskins Titans RB arrested, charged with aggravated assault by strangulation

It is the beginning of a new year with a new team for quarterback Andy Dalton. Dalton, who bagged a two-year, $11 million contract ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft, will stay in Carolina in the meantime. Despite, all indications that the Panthers would make rookie quarterback and No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young their starter, Dalton feels like he still has a lot to offer to enter his 13th season. “I view myself as a starter in this league; I don’t think there are 32 guys better than me,” Dalton told Fort Worth Star-Telegram in a recent phone interview. “But this is the situation I am in, and I understand that. As soon as I don’t think I’m one of the best 32, or a little lower, I’ll be watching football on TV.” It can be safely assumed that Dalton will be a substitute for Young, but rather than allow it to diminish his thinking, the veteran QB is focused on enhancing his skillset, particularly with a familiar face on the Panthers coaching staff. “I am in a really, really good situation here; (head coach) Frank Reich played til he was 38. He was a career backup,” Dalton said. “He understands the continuity you want in a (quarterback) room. (Panthers quarterbacks coach) Josh McCown played until he was 40. Josh was my friend for the last 10 years, and now he’s my coach.” Last year, Dalton appeared and started in 14 games for the New Orleans Saints, throwing for 2,871 yards with a 66.7 completion percentage while scoring 18 touchdowns. He also threw nine interceptions, which was lower than Kirk Cousins, Aaron Rodgers, Patrick Mahomes, and Joe Burrow. He had proved that he can make plays when needed, but with the Saints concluding the season with a disappointing 7-10 losing record and promptly approaching Derek Carr in free agency, the message was clear for Dalton’s time in the Big Easy. “I look back at the last couple of years and some of the situations didn’t turn out the way I would have liked,” Dalton said. “Last year, I felt personally I felt I played good football, but we didn’t win as many games and that is the most important thing. I have confidence in who I am as a player. Not a lot of people can say, ‘This is Year 13 in the NFL.’ I feel good about where I am. It’s fun to be in this position, to help the next generation of quarterbacks.” While Andy Dalton has not led an NFL team to a winning record since 2015, he still has the zeal to play and win. If Young struggles, he will be waiting in the wings, ready to grab the opportunity to prove that he still has what it takes to be a starting-calibre signal caller in the NFL. Related News: Hassan Haskins Titans RB arrested, charged with aggravated assault by strangulation. Steelers to become NFL’s top defense with healthy T.J. WattEx-Broncos DT, pro wrestler Darren Drozdov dies at 54

Hassan Haskins the Tennessee Titans running back was arrested Thursday for aggravated assault by strangulation, according to a Davidson County (Tennessee) Criminal Court report. The felon arrest was from an incident that happened on June 22, per the court report. Haskins has been released after he posted a $10,000 bond. “We are aware of the situation and gathering additional information,” the Titans said in a statement to NFL Media. Hassan Haskins will appear before Judge Ana Escobar on July 10 in Davidson County Court. He was chosen from Michigan in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Titans. In his rookie season, Haskins played on special teams for most of his snaps, he participated in 15 games with one start, scoring 93 rushing yards on 25 carries. Related NFL News Stories: Steelers to become NFL’s top defense with healthy T.J. WattEx-Broncos DT, pro wrestler Darren Drozdov dies at 54 Andy Dalton Panthers QB declares himself ‘as a starter in this league’

Darren Drozdov, a former NFL player who played for the Denver Broncos before becoming a professional wrestler, died Friday, his family made the announcement through World Wrestling Entertainment. He was 54. According to his family, Drozdov died due to natural causes. He had been a quadriplegic since October of 1999 after he got paralyzed performing in the ring. Drozdov played for the Broncos from 1993-1994, competing in six career games with two starts for Denver in ‘93. He played collegiately at Maryland, with stints with the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Jets organizations. “We’re saddened by the passing of Darren Drozdov, who played for the Broncos from 1993-94 before becoming a @WWE wrestler,” the Broncos said in a statement. “‘Droz’ embodied the spirit of perseverance & determination through adversity, and our hearts go out to his family.” When his NFL days ended, the ex-Broncos tried his hand at the World Wrestling Federation, starting in 1998. Early in his career, he was dubbed “Puke” a name which he got after he was caught on video during his football days vomiting on the field. He had an unforgettable scene in the wrestling documentary “Beyond the Mat’’ when owner and chairman Vince McMahon requested that he upchuck on command.  Haven joined the WWF during the so-called “Attitude Era’’, Drozdov gained his biggest notoriety when he joined the Legion of Doom (also known as the Road Warriors), one of professional wrestling’s most renowned tag teams of all time. As part of the LOD gimmick, “Droz’’ wore shoulder pads again, only this time they had spikes on them. Drozdov’s career tragically ended when he was taping an episode of Smackdown when he landed wrong taking a powerbomb from D-Lo Brown.  His family recorded that he was preserved through the tragedy. “Droz maintained a championship mindset and lived every day to the fullest even though he was unable to move from the neck down for the past 24 years,” a portion of his family’s statement read. “His own words sum up his relentless positivity in the midst of adversity: ‘There is always another day. Just because I’m paralyzed and stuck in a wheelchair, doesn’t mean my life is over. I’ve learned to live again, and my life is far from over.’” Related News: Steelers to become NFL’s top defense with healthy T.J. Watt

Patrick Mahomes Kansas City Chiefs quarterback may have received his second career Associated Press Most Valuable Player last season, but, no player was more valuable to his team than T.J. Watt the Steelers pass rusher. The Pittsburgh Steelers permitted the lowest total yards per game (272.9) in the NFL from Weeks 10-18 after Watt came back from a torn pectoral and knee injury – more than 100 yards less than the Steelers allowed without him, according to reports from NFL Research.  Does a healthy Watt make Pittsburgh one of the best defenses in the NFL? An in-depth look into the numbers provided by NFL Research gives an emphatic yes. Last year, the Steelers rallied down the stretch for a 9-8 record, preserving their playoff hopes until Week 18. There were a lot of reasons for their emergence, but Watt’s presence was the biggest. In his absence in 2022, Pittsburgh was a dismal 1-6. With Watt in 2022, Pittsburgh was a sterling 8-2. The Steelers led by Watt permitted only 16.9 per game and 288.8 total yards, posting 32 sacks and 18 takeaways in 10 games. The Watt-less Steelers allowed 25.3 points a match, 389.9myards and tallied only 8 sacks and 5 takeaways in 7 contests. Only Patrick Queen, linebacker of the Ravens and Watt (5.5 sacks, eight tackles for loss, 12 QB hits, two interceptions and a forced fumble) had five-plus sacks, multiple picks and a forced fumble in 2022. And this was just within 10 weeks of playing time. Watt’s showing a season ago was only a sample size of what he has been up to for a six-year career where he made five Pro Bowls, three All-Pro squads and get 2021 Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year. Simply put, Watt is off to have one of the biggest starts for a pass rusher in NFL history. Since 2017 when he made his debut as a rookie first-rounder, he has led the NFL in sacks (77.5), plus a record-tying 22.5 in 2021, QB hits (162) and forced fumbles (23), per NFL Research. T.J.’s averaging 0.89 sacks per game in his career which is the highest in league history (minimum 50 games).  Those 77.5 sacks not just put him in a Hall of Fame trajectory, but makes him a shoo-in for the third player in NFL chronicle to notch 100 career sacks before his 30th birthday. Watt does not hit the big 3-oh until October 11, 2024, and by then, he might have reached the air importance gotten only by Hall of Famer Reggie White and Jared Allen. It comes as no surprise that the Steelers are better with Watt in the lineup, but just how massive his impact is is unbelievable. He makes a difference indeed. Related News: Ex-Broncos DT, pro wrestler Darren Drozdov dies at 54.

Dont’a Hightower has officially announced his retirement from National Football League, after playing for 9 seasons on the field; he wrote a retirement letter to The Players’ Tribune on Tuesday. “Today, I am officially retiring from the NFL,” Hightower wrote. “I know these announcements always feel bittersweet, but I can’t think of a better story than the one I wrote in New England. A decade, three Super Bowls, two Pro Bowls, and the birth of my son — all playing for one franchise. How many guys have a story like that? “So this is a happy day for me, and I just wanted to let you all know how much I appreciate you embracing a Southern kid from Lewisburg, Tennessee.” Hightower has been an essential tackler for the Patriots’ defense, he earned two Pro Bowls to further solidify his ring and generated 569 total tackles, 27 sacks and one career interception. He won two national championships in college at Alabama too. Read Aaron Rodgers; My intention is to play for New York Jets; exit from Green Bay Packers ‘a matter of time’ Before his Pro Bowl 2019 campaign, Hightower opted to sit out the 2020 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He came back in 2021, playing 15 games, and earning 64 tackles and 1.5 sacks. In 2022, he did not play. In Hightower’s first Super Bowl victory over the Seattle Seahawks, as a player for the Patriots, he made of the most unsung plays of the game, tripping Marshawn Lynch at the 1-yard line. The play set up Malcolm Butler’s famous interception to seal the Lombardi Trophy for New England. If not for his tackle, that match would have ended differently. “When I look at that first ring, I think about the Marshawn tackle,” Hightower wrote of the play. “When I saw Seattle line up in that I-form, I knew Beast Mode was getting it, and I knew they’d been gashing us with that strong-side lead all game. I knew he was going to walk through a huge hole if I didn’t take a risk. It’s funny how things come full circle because when I was at Alabama, Kirby Smart used to always tell us, ‘Never ever go behind a block unless you’re sure you’re going to make a play.’ “Well, I wasn’t sure. But I figured we had nothing to lose. So I ripped up under Okung and shot my shot. All I saw was Marshawn’s two legs churning, and I just prayed to God that I could clip him up or something. I reached out … and you already know what happened next.” What happened next was that Dont’a Hightower went ahead to secure the first of the three Super Bowls which he would win later on.  Hightower now joins the Patriots’ all-time greats. More NFL News: Ex-Lions RB Jamaal Williams signed to three-year contract with Saints