Chicago Bears wide receiver Javon Wims was ejected after punching New Orleans Saints defensive back Chauncey Gardner-Johnson in the helmet during the third quarter of the teams’ Week 8 matchup. The two teams scuffled at mid-field after the incident before the officials broke it up and tossed Wims. Now Wims has been suspended by the league for two games without pay.
Bears-Saints fight erupted after Javon Wims threw a helmet punch
The Bears’ wide receiver was ejected after throwing two punches at the head of a New Orleans Saints’ defensive back.
Ricky O'Donnell has covered basketball at all levels for more than a decade at SB Nation. He’s currently the Associate Director of Programming.
After a second down play, Wims charged at Gardner-Johnson from the other side of the field and threw a pair of punches at his head. You can watch the sequence here:
Why would you punch a man wearing a helmet? This was an inexcusable lack of discipline by Wims, which cost the Bears a personal foul penalty and killed a drive with the score tied at 13.
Here’s a great Twitter thread from Evan Saacks showing exactly what led up to the incident. The Bears wide receiver was left stewing on the bench Gardner-Johnson ripped out his mouthpiece on a previous play.
Gardner-Johnson ripped Wims’ mouthpiece away on a previous play. Wims sat on the bench stewing planning to get him back. When Wims tried to get his revenge, he was unable to get Gardner-Johnson’s mouthpiece and instead starting throwing punches at his helmet.
Wims also said that Gardner-Johnson spit on him:
Wims faced a harsh penalty for his actions: a two-game suspension without pay. Here’s the statement from the league.
Gardner-Johnson certainly seems like an agitator on the field. Saints superstar WR Michael Thomas was suspended before the game for getting into a fight with Gardner-Johnson at practice earlier in the week. Cameras also caught Gardner-Johnson trying to poke fellow Bears wide receiver Anthony Miller in the eye on a previous play.
Gardner-Johnson was not called for a penalty for eye gouging Miller. Either way, Wims has to be smarter.
Of course, Wikipedia was immediately on it:
On the very next play after Wims was ejected, Bears quarterback Nick Foles threw an interception. New Orleans would kick a go-ahead field goal a few plays later.
The Saints would go on to win the game in overtime.
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