Story by
Mike Hall Jr. injured and Kevin Stefanski deflects questions a day after rookie's arrest
- Story by
- Mike Hall Jr. injured and Kevin Stefanski deflects questions a day after rookie's arrest
BEREA — Mike Hall Jr. was back on the practice field for the Browns on Wednesday, a day after the rookie defensive tackle was arrested by Avon police. However, his practice day ended early when he suffered an undisclosed injury during a joint practice with the Minnesota Vikings .
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, meanwhile, had little to say about the situation, either Hall's arrest or the decision for him to be on the field the day after the arrest.
Advertisement
"I can't get into all the details, guys," Stefanski said at the end of the practice. "I would just tell you we're going to let the legal proceedings play out."
Hall , 21, was arrested by Avon police Tuesday morning on charged of domestic violence. The incident, which involve he and his fiancee, as well as his fiancee's mother, took place Monday night at the residence they share.
The Browns' second-round pick in April out of Streetsboro High School and Ohio State was on the field for the Browns' morning walk-through, which was closed to the media. He was a full participant in the afternoon joint practice with the Vikings, until he walked off the field with the assistance of the medical staff following an injury.
The Browns announced Thursday morning that Hall suffered a stinger. He wasn't in concussion protocol, but they did not have any other updates, including whether or not he would practice against the Vikings Thursday.
Browns defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. (51) chats with defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo during minicamp, Wednesday, June 12, 2024, in Berea.
The injury to Hall occurred while the Browns' defense was working against the Vikings' offense in 11-on-11 drills on one field. Near the end of the period, he ended up spending several minutes on the ground being tended to by multiple medical staff members.
Advertisement
Fellow defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson hovered nearby for a few minutes before tapping Hall on the shoulder and joining his teammates nearby. Stefanski also spent some time near him before also moving to the adjacent field.
Stefanski didn't have an immediate update on Hall's injury status after practice. Nor did he have much more to say when pressed multiple times about Hall's participation in practice just 24 hours after his arrest.
"I understand what you're asking, honestly," Stefanski said, "but for us, we have to trust in the process and really it's that."
JOK earns 3-year contract extension: Cleveland Browns, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah agree to contract extension
Advertisement
Stefanski was the first member of either the Browns front office or coaching staff to speak on the subject of Hall's arrest. No one else in either of those capacities, including general manager Andrew Berry, was made available Wednesday.
The Browns head coach was asked if he and Berry had conversations about disciplining Hall, to which he answered, "Respectfully, and I understand the question, I don't have much to add."
Stefanski answers to most questions regarding the rookie varied from "trust the process," or "we have to respect the process," or "continue to let the process play out."
Three hours before the Browns took the practice field against the Vikings, three of Hall's teammates — linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah , safety Rodney McLeod and wide receiver Elijah Moore — held normal media availabilities. Both McLeod and Moore were asked about Hall.
Advertisement
"Yeah, I mean everybody, we're a team," McLeod said. "We're a family. And we're understanding that certain things are going to arise and take place and so you have to treat it as such. We're all human beings and so for us we're just trying to learn more about what took place and we will handle things accordingly."
Added Moore, "We just sit there and we pray for him. Life happens outside of football. We can just focus on what's going on in the building and pray for him for whatever's going on outside."
The young defensive tackle had made a strong impression through the first half of training camp. He was coming off a strong showing in the Browns' preseason opener against the Green Bay Packers before the domestic dispute Monday night which led to his arrest.
According to the police reports, officers were dispatched Monday to the house co-owned by Hall and his fiancee, with whom he had a son last September. The caller, the mother of his fiancee, said, per the report, Hall "had pushed her daughter (name redacted) and struck her with a baby bottle."
Advertisement
The official statement in the police report said Hall was verbally abusive at times during the incident, dragging her by her feet from the house and down the driveway at one point. He also, later, punched a hole in a bedroom door and put a gun to her head while, according to the report, saying, "I will (expletive) end it all. I don't care."
Hall had left the residence before the police arrived. He was arrested the following morning by Avon police before being arraigned in Avon Lake Municipal Court, where he posted a $10,000 personal bond and was given a no-contact order with his fiancee.
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Mike Hall Jr. injured, Browns deflect questions a day after his arrest
