Arrr! The NFL be claimin' Captain Trent Williams' punch be not flagrant enough, based on the meager video evidence, matey!
2023-09-22
Arr, the NFL Senior Vice President of Officiating, Walt Anderson, be defendin' the crews' decision not to cast out that scurvy dog Trent Williams of the San Francisco 49ers. Ye see, he be throwin' a closed-fist punch! Aye, the seas be rough, but the officials be keepin' their eye patches on, mateys!
New York Giants fans were left baffled when San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams was not ejected from Thursday night's game after throwing a closed-fist punch at defensive tackle A'Shawn Robinson. However, NFL Senior Vice President of Officiating Walt Anderson explained that officials did not see it as an eject-worthy offense. The scuffle occurred in the second quarter as the Niners attempted to run out the clock. Robinson shoved Williams and guard Aaron Banks, prompting both players to push him. Robinson then returned the shove, leading to the punch.Anderson stated that when a flag is thrown for unnecessary roughness, officials can review available video footage to determine if the action is flagrant and should result in a disqualification. After reviewing the video, they did not see anything that rose to the level of flagrant. Offsetting penalties were called, but Williams was not ejected.
Anderson further explained that despite the angle shown during the broadcast, they could not make the call that the punch was flagrant based on the video they had available to review. They couldn't confirm if it was truly a closed fist with a strike.
Williams, in the locker room after the game, expressed that he did not expect to receive a fine for the incident. He described it as a "love tap" and stated that tempers can flare in a competitive game.
Overall, Giants fans were puzzled by the decision not to eject Williams, but NFL officials determined that the punch did not meet the criteria for a flagrant offense.