Green Bay Packers offensive lineman Lucas Patrick hasn't played baseball since he was a child. With one swing of the bat Authentic Chad Thomas Jersey , he broke the nose of one of the "faces of the franchise."
At the Green & Gold Charity Softball Game on Saturday in Grand Chute, Patrick's line drive struck linebacker Clay Matthews in the face, breaking the long-haired star's nose.
"I talked with him immediately after it happened," Patrick said Monday. "I went up, and he was as calm and cool as could be. He's a tough guy to hop up like he did. He helped settle my nerves. I felt terrible, of course."
Patrick called it "one of those fluke things" that happens in baseball. Matthews was pitching at the time.
Matthews, who has not taken part in workouts following offseason knee surgery, was not at Monday's practice. He likely will have surgery on his nose later this week, coach Mike McCarthy said.
"I talked to him again today. He's a nice guy and (I'm) praying for him. Hope everything heals up. He was as good a guy as you could be during that," Patrick said.
Matthews has posted on Twitter that he was thankful the injury wasn't more serious. Despite a scare involving one of his premier players Broncos Cheap Jerseys , McCarthy said is still OK with participation in the charity game.
"Anytime your players give back, charity involved in the community, that's a great day for the fans. I mean they sell it out every year," McCarthy said. "Yeah, I'm not going to overreact to this."
Matthews and receiver Davante Adams were co-captains for the game, taking the place of Jordy Nelson, who was released in March.
Patrick has been starting at left guard in place of Lane Taylor, who had offseason ankle surgery. When training camp begins in late July, Patrick and Justin McCray will be the front-runners to fill the vacancy at right guard, where veteran Jahri Evans started last season.
"It's been huge Dante Pettis Color Rush Jersey ," Patrick said. "The best part is I can go with Lane after every practice and be like, 'Hey, on this set, I was seeing this, feeling this.' And he gives me his take on what I should do, what I can do better, or if he thinks what I'm doing is pretty good."
The Packers are in the last week of voluntary workouts. Mandatory minicamp takes place next week.
The only player who has not participated in the practices is safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix.
"Ha Ha, just like a number of veterans, when we start the offseason program, we go through everybody's individual schedule Kyle Long Jersey Youth ," McCarthy said. "Things do come up, so he's had a personal situation that he's attended to, so I have no concerns."
Bill Peters has not been able to lead the Carolina Hurricanes back to the NHL playoffs and after coming up short following his fourth season with the club, announced Friday that he is resigning.
”I feel like this is a good time to move on,” Peters said in a statement issued by the team, ”and I am looking forward to my next challenge.”
Peters went 137-138-53 in his lone head coaching job in the NHL. He had one season left on the contract extension he signed in 2016.
New team owner Tom Dundon said he has ”a lot of respect for Bill as a person and coach.”
The move leaves the Hurricanes looking for a new general manager and head coach. Hall of Fame player Ron Francis was reassigned to another front-office position during the season.
”I feel the incoming general manager should have the ability to hire his own head coach,” said Peters, who was hired by Francis in 2014.
The 53-year-old Peters figures to be a candidate for other openings around the league – including a team in his home province.
The Calgary Flames fired Glen Gulutzan earlier this week after missing the playoffs in his second season. Peters is a native of Three Hills, Alberta, who played college hockey in that province at Red Deer College under coach Mike Babcock – who eventually hired him as an assistant with the Detroit Red Wings.
Peters left the Red Wings’ staff four years ago to take his first NHL head coaching job with Carolina Billy Price Youth Jersey , but was unable to end the team’s playoff drought, which at nine years is one of the longest in NHL history.
The Hurricanes have made the postseason just once since winning the Stanley Cup in 2006, and just twice in 15 seasons. This will be their third coaching change since their last playoff appearance in 2009.
Expected to be a playoff team this season, Carolina finished 14 points out of a postseason spot and in sixth place in the eight-team Metropolitan Division.
There’s been plenty of change over the past four months for the Hurricanes, who will have turnover in three key spots on the organizational roster.
Longtime owner Peter Karmanos Jr. sold the majority interest in the team to Dundon in January, and the Dallas billionaire shook things up when he reassigned Francis to the role of president of hockey operations. The new GM will report directly to Dundon.
Peters’ frustration became evident following a critical 3-1 loss to San Jose in February that cost them a chance to move into playoff position. After that game, Peters called his team out, repeatedly using the word ”disappointing” while promising lineup changes that ultimately never came.