Jason Garrett sends Trysten Hill home days after he was caught sleeping by NBA legend
The regression and disappointment of rookie defensive tackle Trysten Hill has reached an embarrassing low, according to sources.
Hill’s travails began Oct. 24 during a team meeting with NBA Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas before everyone departed for the bye. Hill fell asleep while Thomas was talking and was called out by the two-time NBA champion who asked someone to wake him up.
With no game, the Cowboys had Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday off.
Hill and defensive tackle Antwaun Woods were late for a meeting upon returning Tuesday and were sent home by coach Jason Garrett without being allowed to practice.
Both players were subject to fines under the collective bargaining agreement for being late to a meeting.
The team had Wednesday off. Hill and Woods were back at practice on Thursday.
It’s certainly not a good look for either of them when the Cowboys are trying to build for the second-half stretch and push to the playoffs beginning with Monday’s game against the New York Giants.
Woods is a starter and has some sweat equity with the Cowboys.
He apologized for being late for only the second time in the last nine years, dating to college at USC. He said it won’t happen again
It can’t happen at all for Hill, especially after embarrassing the organization by being called out by Thomas.
It was a serious moment and there was no laughter, a source said.
It’s a continued pattern of disappointment for Hill since he was taken in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft for his supposed potential as a disruptive pass rusher.
Hill has struggled and has had a minimal effect through the first seven games.
He has played in just four games and has one tackle.
He was inactive for the first two games, had a tackle in the third against Miami and then was credited for no tackles in games against the Saints and Packers. He was inactive against the Jets.
Tyrone Crawford was then put on injured reserve, giving Hill an opportunity to play against the Eagles. He drew a goose egg in tackles.
But more pointedly, he regressed, said defensive line coach Rod Marinelli.
“One of the key things when a guy is not up, either you progress or you regress,” Marinelli said last week. “He has got to come on. I don’t think he was sharp (against the Eagles). Opportunity comes and Tyrone Crawford is not up. We expect him to play. I need a guy ready to go and not on his schedule.”
Hill’s struggles were an added reason the Cowboys needed to trade for Michael Bennett to replace Crawford as a nickel passer rusher.
Coincidentally or not, the Cowboys made the deal to get Bennett from the New England Patriots on the same day that Hill fell asleep in the team meeting.
It should have been a wake up call.
But then he was late for the meeting after after the bye and was sent home.
This story was originally published October 31, 2019 at 2:59 PM.
