Dayton Daily News

Giovani Bernard (four carries for 22 yards and an 8-yard reception):

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Green with 4:28 left being the game-winner.

“I feel like that’s going to be a trivia question one day — who threw A.J. Green’s first touchdown pass?” Dalton said. “More than the injury, I remember how comfortabl­e I felt that day. It’s your first action and you want to come out and play well.

“It obviously sucked that I didn’t get to play in the sec- ond half,” Dalton added. “But I just remember the atmosphere and what a cool moment it was, especially being 9/11. Standing there before the game, I was like, “I made it. I’m in the NFL.’”

A.J. Green (one catch, 41 yards, touchdown)

Green was held without a catch for 55 and a half min- utes before the Bengals caught the Browns napping in that 2011 season opener. No one was covering Green (imagine saying that today) when he split right on third and 11.

Gradkowski called for a quick snap and made the easy throw for the score that sent the Bengals to a 27-17 win.

“I just remember how wide open I was,” Green said. “It was probably the easi- est one I’ve ever had. I was young and just happy to be out there.”

Jeremy Hill (four carries, 19 yards):

The Bengals used Hill sparingly for the first half of his rookie season, especially in the opener — a 23-16 win at Baltimore.

Three of Hill’s four carries, including his longest of 8 yards, came on one drive in the second quarter.

“I definitely remember that day,” Hill said. “I got a few carries, got my feet wet a little bit. It was a good time. And we won, so it was a great experience. I saved my helmet and still have it.”

While listening to Hill recount his NFL debut, Bernard chimed in that his was forgettabl­e.

It was the 2012 season opener in Chicago, and the Bengals lost 24-21.

“I was a little sick that day, and we lost,” Bernard said. “I remember some stuff, but not like any play-by-play or anything. I know it was close.”

Tyler Eifert (five catches for 47 yards):

Sept. 8, 2013 was a special day for more reasons than one for Eifert.

“It was my birthday,” he said of the day he made his debut in a 24-21 loss at Chicago. “I had a lot of family there and saw them all after the game. Going to Notre Dame, we used to go over to Chicago all the time, so it was a great experience.”

Eifert had another notable stat that day, one that still stands as his career high — two tackles. He pushed C harles Tillman out of bounds after the Chicago cornerback intercepte­d a pass in the second quarter, and he tackled Tim Jennings for no gain after the corner- back scooped up a Mohamed Sanu fumble.

“Yeah, those are things you want to forget, being on offense,” he joked.

Tyler Boyd (two catches, 24 yards):

Playing in New York on the 15th anniversar­y of 9/11, Boyd had a huge impact on the 23-22 victory against the Jets.

On the next-to-last play of the game, Boyd caught a 14-yard pass at the Jets’ 3-yard line and alertly ran up to the official to give him the ball to spot. With the Bengals out of timeouts, the field goal unit sprinted onto the field and kicker Mike Nugent drilled a 21-yard game winner in the 2016 season opener.

“What I remember about that play was trying to score,” he said. “I was really stretching there. That would have been awesome to have my first touchdown be a game-winner.

“I remember being overwhelme­d a little bit early in the game, so I had to settle down and realize that I belong here and I need to pull it together.” old for pain.

In a related move, the Browns signed second-year defensive lineman Tyrone Holmes, who was waived by the club Sunday. To make room, they waived offensive lineman Zach Sterup. Holmes, originally a sixthround pick of the Jaguars in 2016 out of Montana, joined the Browns via waivers as a rookie. He played in 11 games last year with one sack. He was disruptive in preseason, with nine tackles, two sacks and one forced fumble.

This marks the second time since Garrett was drafted in April that he’s been injured by a teammate in practice.

During minicamp, former Browns offensive line- man Cam Erving stepped on Garrett’s left foot during a would-be sack of Brock Osweiler, and he suffered a lateral foot sprain.

Garrett was immobilize­d for awhile in a walking boot, and sat out of a couple of weeks over his summer break. He returned healthy for training camp at the end of July, and had no setbacks through camp and three preseason games.

It’s the second high-ankle sprain Garrett has sustained in the past year, one on each ankle. Last season, he sustained a left ankle sprain at Texas A&M and sat out two games. After he rushed back, it bothered him all season, and he was limited to 8.5 sacks in 2016 after recording 11.5 in 2015 and 11.0 in 2014.

“One of the worst foot injuries I have had,” Garrett said at his introducto­ry news conference with the Browns. “And I fractured a growth plate when I was in high school in a weight- lifting accident. That didn’t hang on for so long. It was a thing, it healed up and it went right back to working, but that ankle sprain hung on for a while.”

The Aggies’ medical staff recommende­d Garrett rest the ankle for an extended time, but he insisted on returning after two games.

“They wanted me to get some rest, but I love my guys too much to sit out and have to watch them without me,” Garrett said. “I know I wanted to be there and struggling and grinding with them. I wanted to do my best for them because they deserve it. So do the coaches, the fans and everybody else who was part of my time at Texas A&M.”

He ac k nowledged he wasn’t the same after the injury.

“I couldn’t get that explo- siveness, that step past the offensive tackle like I wanted, or that step to the left when I am trying to go to the guard,” he said. “But I gave what I could.”

Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin praised him for playing in pain, including during the team’s bowl game.

“He could have shut it down the rest of the season, but he worked hard to get back on the field,” Sumlin said on draft day through the Browns PR department. “Even though he wasn’t 100 percent, he gave everything he had the remainder of the season including the bowl game.”

It’s also the second straight season the Browns’ top pick has sustained a significan­t injury early on in the season. Last year, receiver Corey Coleman, the No. 15 overall pick, broke his hand in practice after week two, and sat out the next six games. Coleman never caught back up after the injury, and was limited to 33 catches for 413 yards and three TDs.

Pryor released fight: after

The Browns released safety Calvin Pryor after he reportedly fought with receiver Ricardo Louis before practice Thursday.

Jackson confirmed the release, saying it was “an internal matter.” He declined to confirm the fight, which was reported by NFL Network.

Jackson said the Browns have no plans to release Louis, a second-year receiver.

Pryor, a fourth-year pro, was acquired in a trade with the Jets for linebacker Demario Davis on June 1. Sources have said the defensive coaches were dismayed that Davis, their starting middle linebacker, was traded in the first place.

Now, the Browns have nothing to show for the trade.

Jackson said he’ll likely promote safety Kai Nacua from the practice squad.

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