Davante Adams calls out Thomas Davis for 'head hunting' after brutal hit
For the second time this season, Green Bay Packers wide receiver Davante Adams was taken out by an illegal hit and diagnosed with a concussion. And he’s had just about enough of it.
On Monday, a day after the Carolina Panthers’ Thomas Davis gave Adams a concussion with an unexpected sideways hit, Adams called Davis out on Twitter.
(Warning: The tweets below contain NSFW language.)
I’ll never understand it. Game is already dangerous enough and we got Pro Bowl players out here head hunting and saying they “didn’t mean to harm me”
— Davante Adams (@tae15adams) December 18, 2017
Somebody please explain to me what I wasnt trying to hurt him means when we nowhere near the play and u lead with ya head and ear hole a defenseless player….
— Davante Adams (@tae15adams) December 18, 2017
Look it’s football but no room for shit like that. We supposed to be in this together n look out for one another not mess with a mans livelihood and hand out unnecessary concussions. We all got mouths to feed what if I did that to him and his kids cant eat…
— Davante Adams (@tae15adams) December 18, 2017
Not the type to rant but when u go through this shit twice in a year it takes a lil toll on u so excuse me.
— Davante Adams (@tae15adams) December 18, 2017
Adams obviously has strong feelings about the true intention behind Davis’ hit, and with good reason: Sunday was the second time in three months Adams has suffered a concussion after an illegal hit. On Sept. 28 when the Packers were playing the Chicago Bears, Adams was laid out by a brutal helmet-to-helmet hit from Danny Trevathan. Adams was taken off the field on a stretcher and went to the hospital.
Adams was able to leave the field on Sunday without assistance, but that doesn’t make it any better. Davis was called for a personal foul, and ESPN reported that the NFL will review the hit and decide if it warrants any discipline.
Adams may be questioning Davis’ intention, but Davis himself decided to go on Twitter and respond directly to Adams.
I understand your frustration and I do apologize for the hit! In no way was I trying to hurt you. My first instinct was turn and make a block. In all sincerity I do apologize. I truly respect you as a player and I made a mistake!
— Thomas Davis (@ThomasDavisSDTM) December 18, 2017
A public apology like that isn’t common, and it’s a nice thing for Davis to do. And it also highlights another layer in the ongoing discussion about the NFL adding a targeting rule. The point of a targeting rule is to reduce the number of forcible helmet-to-helmet/head/neck hits with the threat of an automatic ejection. But since not all hits like that are intentional, there’s an argument to be made that it wouldn’t actually reduce them at all, it would just lead to more players being ejected. With what Adams has gone through this season, one thing is for sure: it’s definitely worth more discussion.
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Liz Roscher is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at lizroscher@yahoo.com or follow her on twitter! Follow @lizroscher
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