Are you shocked the Mac Jones is dirty?
It is the Patriots’ way.
They have to win by any means necessary, even if that means injuring other players on the field.
Carolina Panthers edge rusher Haason Reddick called the first-quarter no-call in which New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones held Brian Burns’ right ankle as the outside linebacker twisted to get away after a strip sack “egregious” and “completely dirty.”
Burns returned after spending time in the sideline medical tent, but in the fourth quarter, he had to again be helped off the field with an injury to the same ankle. Whether the two were related was not immediately known.
“Definitely thought it was a dirty play,” Reddick said. “I actually saw and witnessed the play while it was happening. At first it felt like he was trying trip or kick Burns. And the next thing you know I saw him tugging on Burns’ ankle. I thought it was completely dirty. Hopefully, it’s something the league addresses.”
The replay showed Jones holding Burns’ right ankle after the fumble and continuing to hold it as Burns twisted to get away and chase the loose ball. Burns lay on the field while trainers evaluated the injury before helping him to the sideline the first time.
“It seems they always are protecting the offensive players,” Reddick said. “There’s the protection for the protection for the defensive players as well.
“That was a call that shouldn’t be missed. I’m going to speak out on it, whatever the consequences are. It looked completely intentional from where I was standing, and I was pretty close. I don’t think that was a call that should have been missed.”
The NFL has gone to crazy lengths to protect offensive players, especially quarterbacks, but they haven’t done much for defensive players.
This is a prime example of that.
Jones will likely be fined, but nothing much after that. Burns, after being treated, said he would be fine.
Flip the pages for a video of the dirty play and Twitter reacting to it.