Three Former Oakland Players To Honor Ken Stabler

Three former Oakland Raiders have promised their brains to the Concussion Legacy Foundation to honor Ken Stabler, whose brain showed degenerative damage after his death in 2015.

George Atkinson, George Buehler and Art Thoms told the San Jose Mercury News that they will give their brains after death to the Boston-based research center studying chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the disease being linked to repeated blows to the head.

Stabler, who died in July, suffered from Stage 3 CTE, the doctor who examined his brain told ESPN's Outside the Lines.

"He had very substantial lesions. They were widespread. They were very classic," Dr. Ann McKee told OTL. "There was no question about the diagnosis."

Thoms told the Mercury News he was encouraged to make the donation by Stabler's partner, Kim Bush.

"When you see your teammate deteriorate a lot through the end of his life, to see him go out like that, it brings us together," Thoms said.The careers of the four players overlapped in the 1970s with Raiders, including Oakland's first Super Bowl title in 1976.

Atkinson expressed concern about the link between football and brain disease and said he has suffered from memory loss, adding that he quit his job as a Raiders broadcaster because of it.

"I can't remember from yesterday to today half the time," Atkinson told the newspaper.

Saints Match Bears' Offer to Hill

The Chicago Bears will have to search elsewhere for a new tight end. The New Orleans Saints announced Friday that they will match the Bears' offer sheet to restricted free agent Josh Hill.

ESPN NFL Insider Adam Caplan reported earlier this week that the deal is worth up to $7.5 million over three years, with $3.25 million guaranteed.

The Saints' decision was only mildly surprising. They are tight on salary-cap space and have already signed tight ends Coby Fleener and Michael Hoomanawanui this offseason, but they have valued Hill for his versatility as a pass catcher, a blocker and a core special teams player since he signed as an undrafted rookie out of Idaho State in 2013.

The 6-foot-5, 250-pound tight end has 36 receptions for 340 yards and eight touchdowns over three seasons. Five of those TDs came as the third-string tight end in 2014, which led many to expect a breakout for him last season after Jimmy Graham was traded to the Seattle Seahawks. Instead, Hill remained a minor part of the offense; veteran Benjamin Watson had the breakout season.

This season, Fleener will likely emerge as a leading man.

Tray Walker Remembered

Hundreds of family members and friends, members of the Baltimore Ravens and NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith were among those who gathered Saturday to memorialize and mourn the death of cornerback Tray Walker.

Walker died March 18, one day after being critically injured in a dirt bike crash in Liberty City, Florida. He was 23.

Approximately 45 Ravens coaches, executives and players were in attendance for Walker's funeral, including head coach John Harbaugh, general manager Ozzie Newsome and wide receiver Steve Smith. Harbaugh was one of several speakers at the funeral and offered a touching sermon.

"The first thing I noticed was the smile, the big Tray Walker smile," Harbaugh said of his first encounter with Walker.

Harbaugh explained how Walker cared deeply about his mother, family and football. He also told a story about Walker's first experience with snow in Baltimore, prompting some laughter.

At the end of Harbaugh's speech, he added, "Tray Walker, we love you, and we're going to miss you."