NFL Loves Danny Trevathan’s Helmet Hits
Remember when Chicago Bears linebacker Danny Trevathan egregiously hit Davante Adams, who was obviously wrapped up and not progressing forward, helmet on helmet?
Sure you do.
Remember when we were outraged because that piece of shit wasn’t thrown out of the game against the Green Bay Packers?
Trevathan was suspended two games for the act. Until he wasn’t…
Naturally, Trevathan appealed the suspension. And on Tuesday, it was reduced to one game.
Look, it’s not just because he plays for the Chicago Bears. Just have a look at the unnecessary nature of this. And forget about the brutal nature of it for a moment. The offensive player was effectively stopped — wasn’t going anywhere — and the hit was clearly one where the defender lowered and led with his helmet directly into the opposing player’s helmet. And as Shawn pointed out — he then celebrated knocking the guy out.
Davante Adams' helmet warped when it was hit. It's scary to see a player go down like that, hopefully he'll be okay. pic.twitter.com/5GpCtVTx3X
— NFL Access (@NFL_Access) September 29, 2017
So what’s the message?
NFL suspensions aren’t really as they appear. You can egregiously break the rules — the rules of player safety, which the league is supposedly trying to enforce — and not really have to worry about anything.
One game for knocking a guy out on an illegal hit and then celebrating it.
Seems totally legit, NFL.
If the NFL is trying to be a kinder, gentler, softer league in 2017, they are succeeding.
When Trump made his dumb ass comment, (and of course the players took the bait), all hell broke loose. The NFL then went into complete panic mode trying to make a deal with the NFLPA and the players to cool their jets. Here’s the deal…if the NFL would have shown some backbone, they could have been controlling their own business. But they let the players have free reign, which was the league and the teams choice, so they lost control. Maybe they learned a lesson, but i doubt it.
I don’t know what the NFL’s justification is for reducing this suspension, but i’d love to hear it. I also wouldn’t doubt it was a goodwill gesture to the NFLPA, considering the league let the players grab them by the balls.
Taking a flyer, but I believe the NFL’s punishment in this situation is controlled by agreements made in the CBA.
Rather than deal with yet another ping-pong injunction after ruling after appeal, they maintained the discipline in line with the provisions in the labor agreement.
IIRC, this was why Suh was able to skate more serious punishment despite being a total shithead. Something about no offenses in 36 months.
There was no gray area in this hit, the reduction was weak. Much the same as the NFL handled the players protest before they lost control, weak.
Adams will more than likely miss more time than Trevathans, not to mention the health issues that come along with a hit like that. The definition of a dirty play. Fuck you NFL..
Good point.
Bad decision.
Did the league not notice his celebration after the hit… pure criminal intent to hurt Adams w that hit…
Upon watching the play one again, Adams was still fighting for yards with the DB that had him wrapped up. Trevathan should have taken both Adams and the DB to the ground. Had he delivered a hit to the body, that would have been just a regular play. Helmet to helmet: yes, undeniably guilty, should have not aimed for the head. Late hit or unnecessary roughness? Not so much. In principle Adams was refusing to go down, and had he broken the tackle, he could have gained a few more yards, so Trevathan closed in to finish the play.
Bullshit. It was completely unnecessary. All Trevathans had to do was hit the body and help push Adams over. Davante was already wrapped up. Instead, he launched himself like a missile aiming right at Adams helmet. Adams isn’t going to break a tackle with two defenders draped all over him. At least not when players are tackling the way they’re SUPPOSE TO.
Interestingly enough you say “no, no, no” but you end up repeating most of what I wrote. So, for the matter of him being needed to bring Adams down, I say that he was playing to the whistle. That is something I’ve seen commented on this site some time ago: that our defensive players didn’t seem to swarm the ball carrier as others, often having a guy just watching another defender’s attempt to bring the runner down, sometimes leading to large gains when the runner escaped the attempt. The counterexample that year was SEA, “they hit you because they can”, with more guys flying to the ball carrier even when he was already grinding it with other defenders. So the part of Trevathan trying to down Adams I don’t object. Again, he played to the whistle. It is the fact that he led with the helmet to Adams’ head that should be punished.
Agreed. Tackling and finishing a play are one thing, head hunting on a player who is already wrapped up is another. My point was that it was completely unnecessary.
Exactly cheese…and if Karma comes around and knocks on Trevathans door. I won’t feel one ass bit sorry for him.
Good solid hits within the rules of the game are why we watch.
Hits like Trevathan to Adams and Warrenn Sapp to Chad Clifton are almost criminal.