Former Alabama safety DeMarcco Hellams started his way from seventh-round draft choice to a spot on the Atlanta Falcons’ regular-season roster with his performance in his first pro game one year ago.
But this year in the Falcons’ preseason opener, Hellams was carted off the field with a leg injury on the Atlanta defense’s second play on the field against the Miami Dolphins on Friday night.
The Falcons training staff ran on the field to attend to Hellams and placed an air cast on the safety’s left leg before he was carted to the locker room.
Hellams led Alabama in tackles in the 2022 season, but he didn’t get picked in the 2023 NFL Draft until the 224th selection.
On Aug. 11, 2023, during the first series of his first preseason game with Atlanta, Hellams got his first tackle when he brought down Dolphins wide receiver River Cracraft at the Falcons 15-yard line. On the next snap, Hellams got his second tackle on a rushing attempt by running back Myles Gaskins. And on the next snap, Hellams intercepted Miami quarterback Mike White in the end zone. Hellams returned the interception 15 yards to the Atlanta 13.
Hellams made the Falcons’ regular-season roster. In Atlanta’s first 10 games, he got on the field for 64 defensive snaps and 144 special-teams plays. After the Falcons’ Week 11 bye, Hellams played 305 defensive snaps and started four times at safety in Atlanta’s next six games. He missed the final contest of a season with a concussion.
Hellams’ increase in playing time meant less playing time for Richie Grant, a 2021 second-round pick who started every game in 2022 and 15 in 2023. Both players returned this year to compete to start with Jessie Bates III at the back of the Falcons’ defense.
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.
An employee of Alabama A&M University was arrested Wednesday on sexual misconduct charges.
Calvin Lee, 65, was arrested on Aug. 7, according to Madison County Jail records.
He was released the same day on $500 bond.
According to the school website, Lee is residence hall director.
WAAY is reporting that school officials say they are aware of the arrest and have placed Lee on administrative leave.
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When we think back on our school days, one of the first things that come to mind are the lunches — the rectangular pizza, the ice cream cups with wooden spoons, the honey and peanut butter sandwiches on chili day.
Alabama school lunches were something else (and we mean that in a good way and a bad way, depending on who you ask). So in honor of students heading back to class all over the state this month, we figured we’d have a little fun.
With that in mind, find out which Alabama school lunch you are by taking this extremely scientific quiz created by our friends at This is Alabama!
Take the quiz here!
Two Alabama high school football coaches have resigned from their positions over inappropriate behavior that circulated across social media, which included staffers thrusting their hips in players’ faces during practices.
Head coach Drew Gilmer and defensive coordinator Adam Helms left their roles with the Hoover High School football team after they were initially placed on administrative leave, the school district announced during a Board of Education special meeting on Thursday.
In one of the videos, obtained by WBRC, a coach was caught thrusting his hips into the face of a player on the ground as another coach ripped a different player’s helmet off following a tackle in practice.
The second video showed a coach sprinting across the field and ripping another player’s helmet off their head as the high schooler fell to the ground during a drill.
“This has nothing to do with him being a good coach on the field of play. It has everything to do with what was depicted on the video in an instance that left pause and concern again throughout, not just Alabama, but throughout the sports industry as a whole,” said Alabama state Rep. Juandalyn Givan according to the outlet.
The school district has not confirmed who the coaches in the videos were, according to the outlet.
“The past few days have been extremely unsettling for many of our varsity football players, coaches, and the overall Hoover Community,” Hoover Schools Superintendent Kevin Maddox said in release obtained by WBRC. “The safety and well-being of our students and staff continue to be our top priorities.
“We maintain high expectations for our employees and students. At this time, our focus is dedicated to supporting our football players and coaching staff.”
Givan, representing the players in the videos, alleges that the 17-year-old player was “subjected to an experience no child should ever go through regardless if it’s on the field of play,” AL.com reported.
On Wednesday, the school district announced offensive coordinator Chip English as the interim head coach for the team, which opens up its season on Aug. 24 in Miami, Florida.
The Hoover Police Department said it is investigating the incidents in the videos.
Some student-athletes on the team shared their support for the coaches after they were placed on administrative leave.
“We love Coach Gilmer and Coach Helms! Ask any player on the roster. They’ve done a lot for us and the Hoover program,” one student said on social media. “If the players want him as our coach, we should be able to keep him! He might coach a little differently, but that’s why he wins!”
Gilmer was hired as the new head coach in January after his tenure at Clay-Chalkville High School in Pinson, Alabama — where he went 81-12.
Helms followed Gilmer to Hoover High School from Clay-Chalkville.
The Hoover High School varsity football program was featured in the MTV reality series “Two-A-Days.”
The show had 19 episodes between two seasons which ran from Aug. 2006 to April 2007.
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