Alabama

Chiefs tight end among 14 Alabama alumni who came off NFL rosters Tuesday

Published

2 years ago

August 28, 2024

Chiefs tight end among 14 Alabama alumni who came off NFL rosters Tuesday

Since entering the NFL as second-round selection inthe 2019 draft, tight end Irv Smith Jr. has played in 49 of 83 games and caught 109 passes for 973 yards and 10 touchdowns.

His time off the field included the entire 2021 season, when a knee injury had him sidelined. A free-agent move from the Minnesota Vikings to the Cincinnati Bengals last season didn’t produced the desired boost as he had 18 receptions for 115 yards and one touchdown in 2023.

Smith was on the move again this offseason, when hesigned with the Kansas City Chiefs. But on Tuesday, the Chiefs released Smith.

Each NFL had to reduce its 90-player preseason rosterto the regular-season limit of 53 active players on Tuesday, and Smith was among 14 Alabama alumni who lost their roster spots in the cuts.

The former Alabama players who were waived on Tuesday included:

· Marcus Banks, safety: By the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

· Shyheim Carter, defensive back: By the Tennessee Titans.

· Miller Forristall, tight end: By the Los Angeles Rams.

·Tyler Harrell, wide receiver: By the New YorkJets.

· Josh Jobe, cornerback: By the Philadelphia Eagles.

· Jaylen Key, defensive back (UAB): By the New York Jets.

·Cameron Latu, tight end: By the San Francisco 49ers.

· Alex Leatherwood, offensive lineman: By the Los Angeles Chargers.

· Shane Lee, linebacker: By the Los Angeles Chargers.

· Terrell Lewis, outside linebacker, Alabama: By the Philadelphia Eagles.

· Tyrell Shavers, wide receiver: By the Buffalo Bills.

The former Alabama players who were released on Tuesday included:

· Tony Brown, cornerback: By the Cleveland Browns.

·Kareem Jackson, safety: By the BuffaloBills.

· Irv Smith Jr., tight end: By the Kansas City Chiefs.

The players join safety Ronnie Harrison, who was released by the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.

The players who were waived can by claimed by anyother team in the league before 11 a.m. CDT Wednesday. Waiver claims are processed in the same order as the 2024 NFL Draft before any trades were made.

Waived players who go unclaimed become free to signwith any team. Players who were released do not have to pass through the waiverprocess.

Each NFL team can begin assembling its 16-playerpractice squad on Wednesday afternoon. Practice-squad members work just as active-roster players do during the week, but they are not eligible to play in the games – with one exception. Each NFL team can elevate two practice-squad players to active status for each game.

Five former Alabama players were placed on reservelists on Tuesday, and all could be eligible to play at some point during the2024 season.

Houston Texans linebacker Christian Harris, AtlantaFalcons safety DeMarcco Hellams and Jacksonville Jaguars running back KeilanRobinson were placed on injured reserve, but were designated to return. They will have to miss at least the first four games of the season.

The same goes for New England Patriots defensivetackle Christian Barmore and Denver Broncos linebacker Drew Sanders. Barmore is on reserve/non-football injury after being treated for blood clots during training camp, and Sanders is on reserve/physically unable to perform after sufferinga torn Achilles tendon in May.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sportsreporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at@AMarkG1.

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Alabama

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey receives Boy Scouts’ Circle of Honor

Published

6 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey receives Boy Scouts’ Circle of Honor

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey was honored for her lifelong dedication to youth and community service during the 12th annual Black Warrior Council Boy Scouts of America Circle of Honor awards luncheon.

The ceremony, which was held Feb. 27 at the Embassy Suites hotel in downtown Tuscaloosa, serves as a fundraiser for the council’s scouting program.

The Circle of Honor award is presented to people in west central Alabama whose livelihood and actions reflect the same values of the Black Warrior Boy Scouts. Recipients have also shown advocacy for youth and leadership in the community.

Past recipients of the award include Terry Saban, Nick Saban, former U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, scientist and philanthropist Thomas Joiner, pharmacist and retailer James I. Harrison Jr., civic leader Mary Ann Phelps and more.

Cathy Randall, a Tuscaloosa businesswoman, educator and philanthropist, presented Ivey with the award. Randall was inducted into the Circle of Honor in 2025 along with her late husband, Pettus.

Ivey said she was grateful to receive the honor by the Black Warrior Council and highlighted the importance of public service.

“I’m proud to have dedicated my life to public service, there’s no more noble calling than to uplift and empower lives,” said Ivey during the Feb. 27 ceremony.

Ivey thanked the scouting organizations, including the Black Warrior Council for its contributions to educational opportunities, economic development, and public safety.

“In particular, I’m proud of the work done by our Scouting organizations like the Black Warrior Council, who lay a foundation for successful future in both our young people and our state, thank you for all you do to build a stronger Alabama by changing lives and preparing our future leaders,” said Ivey, a native of Camden in Wilcox County.

Ivey is wrapping up her second term as governor after a long career spent primarily in government.

After graduating from Auburn University in 1967, Ivey worked as a high school teacher and a bank officer. She served as reading clerk for the Alabama House of Representatives under then-Speaker Joseph C. McCorquodale and she served as assistant director at the Alabama Development Office.

In 2002, Ivey was elected to the first of two terms as Alabama’s treasurer and in 2010, she was elected to the first of two terms as lieutenant governor. On April 10, 2017, Ivey was sworn in as Alabama’s 54th governor after the resignation of Robert Bentley. She filled out the rest of Bentley’s term before winning the gubernatorial election in 2018 and she was re-elected in 2022.

She will leave office at the end of this year.

She is the first Republican woman to serve as Alabama’s governor but she’s the second woman to hold the state’s top executive office. Tuscaloosa County native Lurleen B. Wallace, a Democrat, became Alabama’s first female governor in 1966.

Circle of Honor luncheon raises nearly $200,000

Also during the ceremony, retired DCH Health System administrator Sammy Watson, who served as the event’s emcee, announced that the council had raised $197,000 through the luncheon that day.

Proceeds from the lunch will be used to expand Boy Scouts programs, making them available to over 3,000 young people in west central Alabama.

The Boy Scouts of America is the nation’s leading outdoor education and character development program. The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.

Reach Jasmine Hollie at JHollie@usatodayco.com. To support her work, please subscribe to The Tuscaloosa News.

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Alabama

Circuit Judge Collins Pettaway, Jr. steps down after 13 years on the bench

Published

18 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Circuit Judge Collins Pettaway, Jr. steps down after 13 years on the bench

SELMA, Ala. (WSFA) – After more than a decade serving Alabama’s fourth judicial circuit, Judge Collins Pettaway, Jr. is stepping away from full-time service, closing a chapter that spans nearly four decades in the legal profession.

Pettaway was elected to the bench in 2012 and served in several counties including Dallas, Wilcox, Perry, Hale and Bibb counties, the largest geographical circuit in the state.

Now, he says, it was simply time.

“I never wanted to serve in that capacity forever,” Pettaway said “And plus, I wanted to also make room for some younger, brighter minds to come forward.”

Before becoming a judge, Pettaway practiced law in Selma for nearly 30 years after being licensed in 1985. During that time, he handled cases that helped shape Alabama law; something he says he didn’t fully appreciate until colleagues reflected on his impact.

“I handled several cases which actually affected and changed the direction of the state of the law in our state,” he added. “And I didn’t realize I did all that.”

Friends and fellow legal professionals once presented him with research showing his involvement in Alabama Supreme Court cases that made significant changes in state law; a moment he describes as both surprising and humbling.

During his time on the bench, Pettaway says one of his priorities was maintaining professionalism and respect within the legal system.

He often referenced the Alabama State Bar’s Lawyer’s Creed — a pledge attorneys take promising to treat even their opponents with civility and understanding.

“In that creed, you are promising that you’re gonna treat even your opponents with civility and with kindness and understanding.”

Pettaway says he believes the legal profession — and society at large — must continue working toward a culture rooted in respect and service.

Although stepping away from full-time duties, Pettaway says he is not completely leaving the legal field. He has transitioned to retired active status and plans to assist with cases when needed, while also returning to private practice.

He says this new chapter is about balance.

After decades shaping courtrooms across five counties, Pettaway says he is focused on health, perspective and trusting the next generation to carry the bench forward.

Governor Kay Ivey has appointed former Assistant District Attorney Bryan Jones to serve the remainder of Pettaway’s six-year term.

Jones previously served as senior chief trial attorney under District Attorney Robert Turner Jr. and has also led the Fourth Judicial Circuit Drug Task Force.

The transition marks a new era for the Fourth Judicial Circuit, while closing a significant chapter in its recent history.

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Alabama

Detroit Lions meet with Alabama star OL at NFL combine

Published

1 day ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Detroit Lions meet with Alabama star OL at NFL combine

As the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine nears its conclusion, the Detroit Lions continue to work to identify potential fits for the franchise.

The Lions own pick No. 17 in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft. Though Taylor Decker recently announced his return for the 2026 season, Detroit could still be thinking offensive line in the draft’s opening round.

If the Lions opt to fortify their offensive line, one name to watch for Detroit is Alabama offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor. A Lions scout pulled Proctor aside to talk at the East-West Shrine Bowl in January.

Now, Proctor confirmed to Crunch Time Sports that he met with the Lions at the NFL combine.

Proctor started 40 games across his Crimson Tide career, missing just the first two games of the 2024 season with injury.

The 6-foot-7, 366-pound lineman was Alabama’s highest-graded player last season with an overall offensive grade of 85.9, per Pro Football Focus. Proctor had a pass-blocking grade of 84.2, a run blocking grade of 81.1 and allowed just two sacks during the 2025 college football season.

For more Lions coverage, follow us on X, @TheLionsWire, and give our Facebook page a like. Follow Josh on X, @JoshOnLions

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