The official NFL transaction said "released."
For Matt Stankiewitch, he hopes "released" is only temporary.
The former Blue Mountain and Penn State standout was released by the New England Patriots on Wednesday afternoon as the team announced the signing of veteran offensive lineman Tyronne Green.
Stankiewitch, 23, suffered a hamstring injury during a team conditioning test Sunday. The Patriots placed the 6-foot-4, 305-pounder on the non-football injury list Tuesday.
Each NFL team is limited to 90 players in its training camp. With the Patriots slated to start camp Friday, the club released Stankiewitch and signed Green to get to 90 healthy players.
"I pulled my hamstring during a conditioning test," Stankiewitch said Friday. "The team placed me on the TUP (temporarily unable to perform) list. With camp about to start, they wanted 90 guys in camp.
"They told me when they released me that they want me back in two weeks when I'm healthy. Hopefully I get a call back when I'm healthy."
Stankiewitch was signed as an undrafted rookie by the Patriots on May 3 and had attended rookie camp and organized team activities with the team in Foxborough in May and June. He had reported to camp Sunday morning.
Green, 27, has played four seasons in the NFL with the San Diego Chargers after joining the team as a fourth-round (133rd overall) pick out of Auburn in the 2009 NFL Draft. The 6-2, 316-pounder has played in 41 games, with 28 starts at both guard positions. Last season in San Diego, Green started 13 games at left guard.
The Patriots had signed Green to a contract May 13, then released him May 31.
"Tyronne came into New England when I was there, and they released him when I was there," Stankiewitch said.
After suffering his hamstring injury, Stankiewitch said the Patriots gave him the option of staying in New England and going through physical therapy or returning to his Orwigsburg home to do it.
Stankiewitch chose to come back to Orwigsburg and will undergo physical therapy with Dr. David Novatnak of Doctor's Choice on Mount Hope Avenue in Pottsville.
"I don't have the money to stay up in New England, pay for my own hotel and food, so I chose to come home," Stankiewitch said. "Dr. Novatnak, I used him in high school for many things. He's the best.
"Dr. Novatnak was on the phone with the head trainer of the Patriots today, talking about therapy and my recovery status."
Stankiewitch entered training camp as a longshot to make the New England roster as the Patriots return their entire starting offensive line from last year. Team websites and bloggers who cover the Patriots, however, said Stankiewitch was a strong candidate to make the team's practice squad.
Missing the first two weeks of training camp will hurt those chances and may prevent Stankiewitch from playing in the Patriots' first preseason game Aug. 9 in Philadelphia.
Stankiewitch said going through workouts and OTAs over the past two months will help his chances.
"Any time in any sport, the more time you miss, it doesn't help you," Stankiewitch said. "Hopefully, they got a good idea of who I am in OTAs and workouts, in meetings and working out every day.
"I know the offense from OTAs, although doing it in full pads is a little different than helmets. I assume I'll be playing in preseason games when I'm healthy enough. It's up to them. I'll do what they say and what they ask to the best of my abilities."
The big thing, Stankiewitch stressed, is that although the Patriots "released" him, they didn't sever ties with the former All-Big Ten center and want him to return to the team.
He wanted the hundreds of fans and people who have followed his career to know that this isn't the end.
"It's not over until it's over, and it's definitely not over yet," Stankiewitch said. "I'm going to keep fighting for every opportunity I get. I don't give up, and it's not a time to give up.
"The Patriots still want me. They told me that to my face. The coaches told me when I was released that they want me back. Right now, they need bodies for camp, they need to practice with people, and I totally understand that.
"The Patriots said they want me back. (Offensive line) Coach (Dante) Scarnecchia wants me there. And I'm going to do my best to get back."