Tate could be ready to move on from football after he signed a contract Tuesday with a collegiate summer baseball club, the West Coast League's Port Angeles Lefties.
In his statement, Tate didn't explicitly say that he has retired from the NFL, but he noted that he will "look forward to having a lot of fun and exploring baseball more." The 33-year-old Tate, who played baseball for two seasons at Notre Dame while simultaneously starring at receiver for the Fighting Irish, was also drafted on two occasions by MLB clubs but chose not to sign. Once the summer baseball league winds down, Tate will presumably see what his future holds in the sport, but a return to the NFL is seemingly growing dimmer. He hasn't appeared in an NFL game since 2020, though he was a member of the Titans' practice squad last season for a little over a month.
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Golden Tate: Cut from Titans' practice squad
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Tate was released from the Titans' practice squad Tuesday, Jim Wyatt of the team's official site reports.
The wide receiver signed with the team's practice squad in late November but failed to crack the active roster before being released Tuesday. Tate will likely end the 2021 season without any game appearances.
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Golden Tate: Not promoted for Week 12
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Tate won't be on Tennessee's active roster for Sunday's game against New England, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.
The 33-year-old signed with the Titans' practice squad earlier in the week, but he won't be available this weekend after having only a few days to practice with the team. Tennessee has its bye in Week 13, but Tate still has a strong chance to make his way to the active roster in the near future with A.J. Brown (chest) joining Julio Jones (hamstring) and Marcus Johnson (hamstring) on injured reserve Saturday.
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Golden Tate: Gets opportunity in Nashville
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Tate (calf) was signed to Tennessee's practice squad Tuesday, Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official site reports.
While he was with the Giants in 2020, Tate missed the final two games of the campaign due to a calf injury, but he's likely been fully healthy for several months now. The 33-year-old wasn't able to catch on with another team during the preseason or through the first 11 weeks of the regular season, but Tennessee presents a good opportunity for Tate to continue his career. With Marcus Johnson (hamstring) joining Julio Jones (hamstring) on injured reserve Tuesday and A.J. Brown (chest) looking iffy for Sunday's game in New England, Tate could quickly find himself elevated to the active roster as the Titans look to add some healthy, experienced bodies to their receiver group. During his final season in New York, Tate played in 12 games and finished with 35 receptions for 388 yards and two touchdowns on 52 targets.
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Golden Tate: Let go by Giants
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The Giants released Tate (calf) on Wednesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
As expected, New York will part ways with Tate in a move that frees up $6.1 million in cap space for the team. Tate, who missed the final two games of the 2020 season due to a calf injury, is free to begin searching for a new landing spot immediately. However, the 32-year-old slot man could have difficulty finding an uncontested starting job on the open market, given that he dealt with a number of injuries and was suspended twice during his two years with the Giants. Tate was held below 50 receiving yards in all 12 of his appearances last season.
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Giants' Golden Tate: Hits sideline Week 17
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Tate (calf) is listed as inactive Sunday against the Cowboys, Dan Salomone of the Giants' official site reports.
Tate's two seasons with the Giants have been injury-plagued, and the result has been his two lowest receiving-yardage campaigns (388 this season, 676 in 2019) since his second year in the league back in 2011. He has cap hits of $10.9 million next season and $8.4 million in 2022, so the team has a difficult decision to make due to the dead money charge incurred if they opt to move on from the 32-year-old wide receiver. Ultimately, Tate's contract may be easier to stomach for the Giants with a cost-controlled starting quarterback on the roster in 2019 first-round pick Daniel Jones.
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Giants' Golden Tate: Considered doubtful for Week 17
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Tate (calf) is listed as doubtful heading into Sunday's game against the Cowboys, Zack Rosenblatt of The Newark Star-Ledger reports.
The veteran wideout looks poised to sit out as the Giants fight for their postseason lives Sunday at MetLife Stadium. If the 32-year-old is in fact sidelined for a second straight game, the Giants would likely turn to Dante Pettis, Austin Mack and C.J. Board for added opportunities alongside starters Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton in three-receiver sets.
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Giants' Golden Tate: No practice Thursday
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Tate (calf) was a non-participant at practice Thursday, Dan Salomone of the Giants' official site reports.
Tate picked up a calf injury in practice last week, which sidelined him for a Week 16 loss in Baltimore. According to Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com, Tate worked out with the training staff on the side for a second session in a row Thursday. Due to his lack of practice reps so far this week, Tate seems to be poised for a second straight absence and fourth of the campaign Sunday against the Cowboys. If he's unable to play, reps will open up at wide receiver for Dante Pettis, Austin Mack and C.J. Board behind Sterling Shepard (rib) and Darius Slayton.
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Giants' Golden Tate: Still managing calf injury
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Tate (calf) will work off to the side with the Giants' training staff during Wednesday's practice, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com reports.
Ranaan suggests that the Giants don't appear "overly optimistic" about Tate's chances of suiting up Sunday against the Cowboys. If Tate remains out this weekend, Dante Pettis and Austin Mack would be candidates for added snaps at receiver alongside top options Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton.
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Giants' Golden Tate: Won't play
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Tate (calf) has been ruled out for Sunday's game in Baltimore, Zack Rosenblatt of The Newark Star-Ledger reports.
Tate was held out of practice Thursday and Friday after injuring his calf during Wednesday's session. His absence likely means Sterling Shepard will see more work from the slot, which isn't necessarily a good thing against a Baltimore defense that often uses CB Marlon Humphrey to defend the middle of the field. Austin Mack and C.J. Board are the top candidates to get WR snaps alongside Shepard and Darius Slayton in three-wide formations.
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Giants' Golden Tate: Slated to miss practice
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Tate (calf) won't participate in Thursday's practice, Ralph Vacchiano of SportsNet New York reports.
After Tate exited Wednesday's session early with the right calf injury, head coach Joe Judge said that Tate will work out on a side field with trainers Thursday, per Dan Salomone of the Giants' official site. The Giants will presumably reassess Tate after the workout before determining whether he's fit to practice in some capacity in the Giants' final session of the week Friday. Since being a healthy inactive Week 9, Tate has reclaimed his role as the Giants' No. 3 receiver over the past five games, producing a 13-162-0 stat line on 23 targets.
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Giants' Golden Tate: Injured at practice
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Tate was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice after sustaining a right calf injury during the session, Dan Salomone of the Giants' official site reports.
According to Dan Duggan of The Athletic, Tate had to be examined by trainers midway through practice. The veteran wideout has been operating as the No. 4 option in New York's passing game, so if he were to miss any time, it could free up a couple extra targets for the likes of Sterling Shepard, Darius Slayton and tight end Evan Engram (calf).
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Giants' Golden Tate: Catches two passes
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Tate caught two of three targets for 13 yards Sunday against the Browns.
Tate played only 30 offensive snaps and is the No. 4 option in the passing game at this point behind Sterling Shepard, Darius Slayton and tight end Evan Engram.
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Giants' Golden Tate: Comes up just short on long catch
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Tate caught one of two targets for 39 yards in Sunday's 26-7 loss to the Cardinals.
The veteran receiver's third-quarter catch was New York's longest play of the afternoon, and he came up just short of the end zone on the play, setting up a one-yard Dion Lewis score for the team's only points. He actually led the team in receiving yards as quarterback Daniel Jones struggled in his return, but Tate still hasn't reached 50 receiving yards in a game this season heading into a Week 15 matchup with the Browns.
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Giants' Golden Tate: Snags four passes
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Tate caught all four targets for 30 yards in Sunday's 17-12 win over the Seahawks.
Tate and Evan Engram tied for the team high in receptions as the only players to catch more than one pass Sunday. It still didn't lead to major production for Tate, who hasn't recorded more than 50 receiving yards in a game this year. It hasn't mattered who has been under center for Tate's production, but the offense may be more effective if Daniel Jones (hamstring) returns to action next week against the Cardinals.
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Giants' Golden Tate: Lackluster production vs. Bengals
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Tate caught four of nine targets for 36 yards during Sunday's 19-17 win over the Bengals.
Tate recorded a new season high in targets but just one of his receptions went for more than 10 yards as he was held under 50 for the ninth time in as many games. The increased usage can partially be attributed to the ultra-conservative Colt McCoy replacing Daniel Jones (hamstring) after the latter suffered an injury. If Jones is forced to sit out next Sunday against the Seahawks, Tate could find a few extra passes thrown his way but seems unlikely to produce impressive numbers.
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Giants' Golden Tate: One big gain
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Tate recorded two receptions on five targets for 44 yards in Week 10 against the Eagles.
Tate returned from a one-game absence but was held relatively quiet. His most impactful play came on the Giants' first drive of the second half when he made a leaping grab down the right sideline for a 28-yard gain. Daniel Jones spread targets to a number of Giants receivers, making it difficult to count on Tate seeing consistent volume to close the season. He and Giants will have a bye before a Week 12 matchup against the Bengals.
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Giants' Golden Tate: Suiting up Week 10
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Tate (knee) is listed as active Sunday against the Eagles, Dan Salomone of the Giants' official site reports.
Near the end of Thursday's practice, Tate suffered a knee injury that was later determined to be "minor." He was limited on Friday's injury report before being listed as questionable for Week 10. With the Giants clearing him to suit up Sunday, Tate will be making his first appearance since Week 8 after the Giants made him a healthy scratch last weekend due to his public criticism of his usage, which waned in his previous three games played (just six total targets).
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Giants' Golden Tate: Should play Week 10
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Tate (knee), who is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Eagles, is expected to play, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
After being inactive for last week's win in Washington in a coach's decision, Tate is expected to return to a starting role at receiver alongside Darius Slayton and Sterling Shepard if his health cooperates. Tate hit a snag when he tweaked his knee during practice Thursday, but he was at least able to return to work Friday as a limited participant. He's apparently continuing to trend in the right direction as Sunday's 1 p.m. ET kickoff approaches, but his availability won't be officially confirmed until the Giants release their inactive list around 11:30 a.m. ET.
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Giants' Golden Tate: Deemed questionable for Sunday
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Tate (knee) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Eagles, Dan Salomone of the Giants' official website reports.
Tate suffered a minor knee injury during Thursday's practice and was then a limited participant in Friday's session. He was a healthy scratch last week amidst some conflict with the team, but wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert suggested Tuesday that Tate likely would return to his slot role for Sunday's game against the Eagles. It's no longer clear Tate will be able to do so, potentially setting up Austin Mack for another week in a top-three role. The Eagles and Giants have a 1:00 ET kickoff, so Tate's status should be finalized by 11:30 a.m. when inactive lists are released.
