HEADLINE

Eagles acquire WR Tate from Lions

The Sports Xchange

October 30, 2018 at 2:59 pm.

The Philadelphia Eagles acquired wide receiver Golden Tate from the Detroit Lions in exchange for a third-round pick, the teams announced Tuesday.

“The message to our fans, to our players, to our coaches, to everyone in this organization is our foot’s always going to be on the gas,” Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said, via Philly.com. “We’re always trying to win. . . . What we can do now is try to do that for this season and this moment.”

Tate actually announced the trade on Twitter before the teams made it official.

“It’s been real DETROIT! I’ll love ya forever. Philly Philly let’s get it!!” Tate wrote on Tuesday afternoon.

Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz also took to social media to welcome his new teammate.

“Let’s roll my man! Excited to compete with ya! #flyeaglesfly @ShowtimeTate,” Wentz wrote on Twitter.

Tate joins a Philadelphia team that has won two of three to even its record at 4-4. Tight end Zach Ertz leads the Eagles in receptions (61) and receiving yards (644), while wideout Alshon Jeffery has a team-leading four touchdown catches.

The 30-year-old Tate has recorded a team-leading 44 receptions for 517 yards and three touchdowns this season for the Lions (3-4). Tuesday’s move comes six days after Detroit acquired defensive tackle Damon Harrison from the New York Giants for a fifth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.

Tate, who will be an unrestricted free agent after this season, is on pace for the first 100-catch season of his career and his fourth 1,000-yard campaign in five years with the Lions.

“On behalf of our entire organization, I would like to sincerely thank Golden for his countless contributions to our team during his time as a Detroit Lion,” Lions general manager Bob Quinn said in a statement.

“For more than four years Golden displayed an unwavering commitment to not only his coaches and teammates, but also the City of Detroit. The impact he made on and off the field set an example for our team and serves as a testament to his character.

“We wish Golden and his family the very best in the next step of his career.”

Selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft, Tate has collected 581 receptions for 6,936 yards and 37 touchdowns during his career. He has also added 28 catches for 318 yards and two touchdowns in nine postseason games.

Tate told the Detroit Free Press on Monday that he didn’t think he would be traded.

“I don’t think so,” Tate told the newspaper. “I feel like I’m a huge part of this organization and this offense especially, so hopefully that’s not the case. But again, I do understand it’s a business and if it happens then, you know, depends on where they send me.”