Browns cornerback Troy Hill suffers neck injury, taken to hospital for evaluation

Browns nickel cornerback Troy Hill was wheeled off the field on a stretcher with 4:13 remaining in Sunday’s 45-7 loss to the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium.

Hill suffered a neck injury, but had movement in his extremities, the Browns said. He was taken to a Boston-area hospital for further evaluation and did not fly home with the team.

A Youngstown native, Hill tried to make a tackle on Patriots receiver Jakobi Meyers, who pushed through him for an 11-yard touchdown reception from backup quarterback Brian Hoyer. Hill went low and hit Meyers in the midsection, then recoiled, briefly pounding the ground in frustration.

After the game, Browns coach Kevin Stefanski did not know if Hill's head hit the ground on the play.

Several players, including Browns defensive backs Ronnie Harrison, Greg Newsome, Grant Delpit, John Johnson III and Herb Miller, defensive end Myles Garrett and linebackers Elijah Lee and Mack Wilson, gathered around Hill. Stadium staff initially brought out the motorized cart, then called for the old-style version.

“I kind of saw it on replay. It did look like he hit his head a little bit,” free safety Johnson said. "Obviously when you see a guy just laying on the ground not moving too much, you kind of take a step back and make sure he’s OK. I sat over there and watched the whole thing.

"I don’t know what exactly happened, but any time you get carted off on a stretcher you just want to keep that guy in your prayers. He’s a great player, great teammate, so I just hope he gets better."

Defensive end Garrett didn't see what happened but said he would try to contact Hill.

"I want him to recover. I know he's in a whole world of emotions," Garrett said. "I'm going to pray for him and try to do what I can after the game and speak to him, whatever it is. I don't know if he's comfortable with that.

"I didn't even see it. I saw the missed tackle on the sideline and then he went down. I didn't even know it was him. Once I saw it was him and once I saw the stretcher I immediately went out there because I want to support my guy. That's a terrible situation, but we've got to have each other's back and it will be next man up like we have been."

Hill recorded five tackles, three solos, against the Patriots.

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He was coming off what Stefanski considered Hill's best game of the season on Nov. 7 at Cincinnati. Used a blitzer, Hill notched two sacks, seven solo tackles, two for losses, and three quarterback hits against the Bengals.

On Monday, Hill expressed his enthusiasm for his expanded role in defensive coordinator Joe Woods' scheme.

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Hill, 30, played five of his previous six seasons with the Los Angeles Rams. In March, the Browns signed him to a two-year, $9 million deal with $4.5 million guaranteed.

Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/browns. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MRidenourABJ.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Browns Troy Hill taken to hospital with neck injury