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Dustin Hopkins unlikely to kick for Cleveland Browns in AFC Wild Card game at Texans
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- Dustin Hopkins unlikely to kick for Cleveland Browns in AFC Wild Card game at Texans
BEREA — Dustin Hopkins is "unlikely" to kick for the Browns in Saturday afternoon's AFC Wild Card game at the Houston Texans .
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said Tuesday the kicker has been "progressing" as he recovers from a left hamstring injury he sustained on Christmas Eve in Houston . However, he didn't believe Hopkins was going to be able to get back on the field by Saturday.
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Hopkins is one of seven Browns players who did not practice due to injury Tuesday. The others were receiver Amari Cooper (rest/heel), running back Kareem Hunt (groin), cornerback Greg Newsome II (knee), running back Pierre Strong (back), receiver Cedric Tillman (concussion) and safety Juan Thornhill (calf).
Defensive end Myles Garrett was absent due to a personal reason.
Hopkins, who's a Houston native, suffered the injury was trying to make a tackle on Dameon Pierce 's kickoff return for a touchdown in the second quarter of the Browns' 36-22 Week 16 win. Punter Corey Bojorquez handled most of the kickoff duties after that, but left with his own left quad injury.
Dec 24, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce (31) runs past Cleveland Browns place kicker Dustin Hopkins (7) to score a touchdown on a kickoff return during the second quarter at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
After the game, Hopkins acknowledged the decision to try and tackle Pierce was a misguided one, even if it was born out of a never-quit attitude. Stefanski said Tuesday it's easy to talk about giving up on the play after the fact.
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"I think it's always that fine line," Stefanski said. "Where you want to make a play for the team, you want to hustle, but you also don't want to put yourself in harm's way. So those are things we talk about, but you can't deny that our guys have great effort out there."
Third-year pro Riley Patterson would be the Browns' kicker for the third consecutive game. The Browns signed Patterson, who kicked in 13 games for the Detroit Lions this season, to the practice squad on Christmas Day.
Patterson was 6 of 7 on point-after kicks and made a 33-yard field goal in the regular season for Cleveland . He kicked in the 2022 postseason for the Jacksonville Jaguars , going 3 for 3 on field goals and 4 for 4 on PATs in two playoff games.
"It's been enjoyable," Patterson said Tuesday. "I was frustrated leaving Detroit, for sure, because I felt like I was a part of that team there. These guys have been so welcoming to me. Hopping on to a really great team with a bunch of really great guys in a fun locker room. I couldn't ask for anything more, so I feel like I'm a part of this team. I'm ready to help out with whatever they need, so I'm here."
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Patterson would've been down to his final gameday elevation had this week been a regular-season game with two already used. However, the counter resets to zero for elevations in the playoffs, with no limit on the number of times a player can be called up on gameday.
Hopkins was 33 of 36 on field goals this season, including 8 of 8 from 50 yards or longer. He's 24 of 26 on PATs.
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on Twitter at @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Dustin Hopkins unlikely to kick for Browns in AFC Wild Card game
