South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney's hit on Michigan's Vincent Smith was probably the most memorable play of the 2012 season. However, a number of officials have said because of new rules against targeting hits, they would have ejected Clowney for his now-famous hit. This has obviously drawn a lot of debate on the topic of illegal hits, but an interesting voice spoke up on the topic on Tuesday:
Paralyzed former player Eric LeGrand defends Jadeveon Clowney hit
When LeGrand speaks on the topic of player safety, people tend to listen.
USA TODAY Sports
There's no way #clowneyhit is illegal. Take it from a guy who broke his neck
— Eric LeGrand (@EricLeGrand52) July 23, 2013
Now, just because LeGrand doesn’t think the hit is illegal doesn’t necessarily mean anything. He’s not a referee, nor is he potentially liable for the consequences of dangerous targeting hits. However, LeGrand knows better than anyone how dangerous the game of football is, and his voice rings much louder than most on the topic of player safety. His word is obviously not law, but he’s someone worth listening to.
Since talking about injuries and rules ad nauseum can be a bit much sometimes, here’s something to brighten your day a little:
Also, since we’re talking about The Hit, we are required by federal law to include the gif:
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