NFL quarterback ruled OUT in severe concussion scare after taking hit to the head in sickening scenes as fans slam rival for ‘dirty late’ tackle
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray’s debut with the team came to an abrupt end when the 29-year-old absorbed a vicious late hit from the Green Bay Packers’ Javon Bullard and Lukas Van Ness in the first quarter on Sunday.
Murray initially appeared to be holding his left leg on the play, which ended with a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty against Bullard. However, the CBS broadcast soon updated viewers that the former Arizona Cardinals starter was being evaluated in the concussion tent.
Shortly thereafter, veteran backup Carson Wentz entered as Murray was ruled out for the game.
Replay of the helmet-to-helmet hit revealed that Murray’s actually came off on the play. Fortunately, the Vikings quarterback did walk off the field without any help.
Fans quickly attacked Bullard and Van Ness online, where many accused the pair of dirty play.
‘DIRTY LATE HIT ON MURRAY,’ read one post from an irate Vikings fan.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray was evaluated for a concussion in his debut game with the team after absorbing a late hit Javon Bullard
Many fans felt Bullard’s hit on Murray was late, while others thought it was unavoidable
Murray was able to walk off the field before being evaluated for a concussion on the sideline
Kyler Murray was making his first regular-season start for the Minnesota Vikings
‘Dirty a** Packers players tried to seriously hurt Kyler Murray,’ another added on X.
Neither Van Ness nor Bullard were ejected, which further infuriated Vikings fans: ‘The fact this wasn’t an ejection is so f***ing maddening.’
But not everyone agreed. Many others pointed to Murray’s awkward slide, which left the Green Bay defenders with little time to avoid the late hit. NFL rules dictate that ball carriers can give themselves up by sliding feet first, but Murray’s slide was less definitive and could have seemed ambiguous to Bullard and Van Ness.
‘Hit was not late,’ one fan wrote on X. ‘He dove instead of sliding and still got the… penalty.’
‘He should’ve slid feet first instead of head first,’ another added.
