MCGAHEE HAS CONCUSSION, WILL BE OK

Posted by Mike Florio on January 18, 2009, 11:09 PM EST

A league source tells us that Ravens running back Willis McGahee suffered a concussion on that wicked fourth-quarter hit from Steelers safety Ryan Clark.
Per the source, McGahee is “OK.”
It remains to be seen whether the league characterizes the hit from Clark as a violation of the rules.  It wasn’t a classic helmet-to-helmet hit; McGahee seemed to drop his head as Clark was approaching, and Clark appears to try to lead with his shoulder.
UPDATE:  Actually, I just saw a different angle while watching the sequence of events on TiVo.  It was a helmet-to-helmet hit and Clark should be suspended for the Super Bowl.  Period.

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146 responses to “MCGAHEE HAS CONCUSSION, WILL BE OK”

  1. Glad to see you change your tune. Ive been talking to a lot of people on this one and the more they all watch the replay, the more they all agree it was a terrible hit and that Clark should be suspended.

  2. Please Mike, Clark clearly turned his body to lead with the shoulder. Yes their helmets collided, but he did not lead with it as in a spear.

  3. Good to hear he’ll be ok. I think that Baltimore might want to start looking for a replacement for McGahee though. Hits like that will make tough guys reconsider their place in this sport.

  4. That was a terrible looking hit, good to hear he’s ok. I don’t think there should be a fine.

  5. Clark did not lead with his helmet and should not be suspended. It is unfortunate that McGahee was injured on the play but the hit was not malicious, period

  6. This wasn’t a case of hitting a defenseless WR or QB. This was just a good solid hit, and it’s very hard to NOT have helmet to helmet contact when you’re hitting someone straight up and not from the side. The defender has to lean forward, meaning his head will be the part of the body sticking out the farthest. You can’t wrap a guy up by “leading with the shoulder”. Don’t contribute to the pussification of football. Florio, you’re a part of the problem, not a part of the solution if you’re seriously calling for Clark to be suspended after that hit.

  7. McGahee certainly appeared to lower his head, but a second look shows that Clark did nothing to lead with his shoulder. He didn’t extend his arms to make a tackle, and made no other motions to indicate that he was trying to do anything than launch his helmet into McGahee.
    When I first watched the play, I thought it was clean. Taking a second look at it, I absolutely think they need to make an example of this guy.

  8. I know the angle you mean, but, you can also see he was leading with his shoulder and McGahee ducking caused the helmet to hit first. Definitely should be a fine for the incident, but I don’t agree with the suspension idea

  9. It was a clean hit Clark lead with the shoulder it only looks like helmet to helmet because McGahee ducked at the last second. Bang Bang play. I doubt too that Clark will get suspended. Fined, maybe but that would be it. When did people start wussing out with hard hits? Last I checked football is a CONTACT sport. If the NFL was as soft as you guys wanted it to be nobody would watch.

  10. There shouldn’t be a fine? This is a classic case of leading with the head. I would be surprised if there WASN’T a fine!

  11. Get a new pair of glasses you dope…He went shoulder to shoulder then had contact with his helmet. They even said the same on the broadcast…He WON’T get suspended..It was a clean hit..find a new story…

  13. well, at least mcghaee had the ball, was looking, made a football move, and had time to brace for the hit. none of those things was in evidence when he illegal hit wes welker, which resulted in no fine/suspension…

  14. “UPDATE: Actually, I just saw a different angle while watching the sequence of events on TiVo. It was a helmet-to-helmet hit and Clark should be suspended for the Super Bowl. Period.”
    Jason Whitlock? Is that you?

  15. It didn’t look real bad from the angle on that youtube clip, Florio. Put up your TiVo’d clip on youtube and post that instead, because from this angle it looked like he tried to just plow through him with his shoulder, and their helmets collided incidentally.

  16. Look, if the league is going to fine guys for doing snow angels, they’d better heavily fine and/or suspend this chap shopt artist who has shown intent to injure on multiple hits this year.
    Cue the Steeler apologists…

  19. McGahee was a ball-carrier once he made a football move, Florio, which is why it was a fumble and not an incomplete pass, and more importantly, why it was not an illegal hit.

  20. Whoever thinks that Clark led with his helmet on that hit is either a) Willis McGahee’s mom, or b) on crack.
    I just watched the replay about 5 times, and in slo-mo…it was just a good hard clean hit. He turned his body to try to lead with his shoulder for chrissakes.
    It’s too bad their helmets made contact and I really hope McGahee is ok…but there was nothing dirty or intentional about it.

  22. Nah I don’t know about a suspension. I understand the rule is you can’t hit to the head, but right before he gets hit McGahee goes to brace himself and hunches his entire body. If he had been at the same angle he was at after he initially caught the ball, the hit would have been right in the chest. He also led with his shoulder. It was a clean hit in my opinion, it’s just too bad McGahee got hurt. Clark will be fined, surely, but shouldn’t miss the Super Bowl.

  23. There is no way this should result in any sort of suspension. It was a tough, clean hit. My prayers go out to willis but a suspension? really Mike?

  24. Yeah, he was not defenseless. It is a legal hit. They talked about it on the broadcast. There is no helmet to helmet rule when it is a down field runner with possession of the ball. Come on Florio.

  26. How does that warrant a suspension? He clearly lead with his shoulder.. helmets hit all the time.

  27. “UPDATE: Actually, I just saw a different angle while watching the sequence of events on TiVo. It was a helmet-to-helmet hit and Clark should be suspended for the Super Bowl. Period.”
    Tryin to get more hits? Willis put his head down. Clark lead with the shoulder. Just because it was a big hit, doesn’t mean it’s dirty.
    That said, hopefully your report is accurate and he will be okay.

  28. I don’t know what video you were looking at but all I saw was him putting his right shoulder forward as he was hitting him. It did not appear malicious in any fashion nor did it look like he was leading with his helmet. Stop trying to stir up trouble with your anti-Steeler viewpoint. Face it. The Ravens lost. It was a clean it. It was unfortunate someone got hurt!

  29. b.s. that is a helmet-to-helmet hit that Clark should get suspended for. Obviously you didn’t look carefully to see that Clark led with his shoulder.

  30. hayward giablommi says:
    January 18th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
    Look, if the league is going to fine guys for doing snow angels, they’d better heavily fine and/or suspend this chap shopt artist who has shown intent to injure on multiple hits this year.
    Cue the Steeler apologists…
    _______________________
    I wonder if that sand in your vagina will turn into a pearl.

  31. Hmmm…I watched that play over and over again on the regular broadcast. Why the hell did you need a TiVo? It appears to me that Clark launched his body and turned himself sideways and caught him in the chest and leading to his head. When sh*t happens that fast and a guy drops himself to try to protect himself how can you say the other guy (clark) should be suspended? You really are a yellow colored report. That explains why I check your website less and less.
    If you want to try to become mainstream then keep your opinions to yourself. If you want to be a blog then insert as many opinions as you want. But stop being a god-damn tweenier!

  32. I read this post and I knew who wrote it before I even looked. Suspended for the Super Bowl when there wasn’t even a flag thrown? I’d respect you more Florio if you’d just come out and say you hate the Steelers. I’m fine with that but don’t pretend to be impartial. Have fun watching the Steelers win the Super Bowl pal. Bwahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!

  33. Do you guys who are saying it wasn’t a malicious hit understand that he got a concussion because of the helmet to helmet contact. Sure he probably didn’t mean to give him a concussion but he should definitely he fined if not SUSPENDED for the Super Bowl.

  35. Led with his helmet? Once he hit he went sideways with the impact. As for the guy who said he should have tackled him, uh he was coming straight ahead vs a strong RB, hes supposed to arm wrap him instead of attempting to make a hit and cause a fumble/incompletion?
    Silly people.

  36. Florio, please post the exact rule that Clark violated. Helmet-to-helmet is only a penalty against a defenseless receiver, right? Please correct me if I am wrong.

  37. Suspended? Hey Florio what about the refs who let Gaither hold Harrison all night, yeah he got flagged once. Use your damn tivo and count the missed holding calls. Yeah your Steelers bias is disgusting Florio.

  38. He definitely led with his head and there was helmet to helmet contact. There should have been a 15 yard penalty and he should be suspended for the Super Bowl.

  39. The question begs can “helmet to helmet” suspension be applied if it wasn’t a “defenseless receiver”, “Quarterback”, or “Blindside Cheap Shot”.
    The thing that will probably save Clark it was clear that McGahee who is right in front of him sees him and braces for the blow by ducking his head.
    McGahee takes a few steps before the hit. In that regard he is no different than a running back since he has possession and is moving forward.
    We all know that Clark is a head hunter, but based on the trend of the NFL I think they will let this one go.
    http://www.blacksportsonline.com

  40. Florio – you destroy your own credibility when you say shit like that! both men lowered their heads together – put on a uniform before you make rediculous comments like that…PERIOD!

  41. There was indeed a helmet to helmet hit. I believe the hit was bad enough for a fine. But Ryan Clark should definitely not be suspended from the Super Bowl, as Florio suggested.

  42. Mike, you are a f’ing idiot. Clark went low and McGahee clearly lowered his head into the contact. No way Clark should be suspended.

  43. Clearly led with the right shoulder. McGahee was not airborne and defenseless either. He even ducked, making the hit worse. Brutal, but legal.
    It’s the NFL, Florio. Rule #1: Head on a swivel.

  44. That was not a spear by any stretch of the imagination. Clark led with his shoulder and McGahee unfortunately decided to lower his helmet. It’s not a pretty-looking hit, but it is clean. Willis should know he’s got pads that he can also lower and that breaking tackles with your helmet isn’t fun, even when done correctly. I hope he is OK and that Clark doesn’t get penalized for doing the things that make him the most underrated safety in the NFL.

  45. Wrong Florio. I’m a Pats fan, and as much as I want to see Clark get his for that Wes Welker hit (which I thought was borderline), this hit was as clean as they come. What else was he supposed to do? He was trying to make a tackle. He lowers his shoulder. It happens very, very fast in real time. It’s clean.

  46. Suspension is out of the question. This is part of the problem with football everyone is hung on danger, but adores the big play. If Willis makes a move it is an easy tackle to shake. Clark was going for the knockout and he got it, but he wasnt trying to hurt anyone out there. And if he was … perfectly fine, lets face it, that game was a “hurt or be hurt” game. When it came down to it, Willis was trying not to get hurt, and thats when the worst accidents happen.

  47. I take no pleasure in any injury of any player on any team. I am sincerely saddened by this injury and hope the best for a full recovery for Mr. McGahee.
    That said, Clark did not lead with his helmet, he leads with his shoulder. And even if the hit is helmet to helmet, McGahee is not protected from this contact by the rules, under even the most applicable portion of the rule, he is not in a defenseless receiver.
    UPDATE. The writer of the article does not know the NFL’s rules regarding helmet to helmet and his call for suspension is absolutely incorrect.

  48. Get serious Florio. It’s the AFC Championship, this is what players put it all on the line for. No fine, no suspension. I’m glad thier both allright, but last I checked, the game isn’t over until the clock runs out. I can’t believe you’re not lobbying for a fine on Sweed too. Try not to “Panzie” up the game.

  51. Yeah, SteelerJim, why are you and I smarter than Florio?
    FLORIO LEARN THE RULES BEFORE YOU POST!
    Update: Unless of course he is calling for suspension even though Clark did not break any rules, in that case he knows the rules and is just stupid.

  52. Love your site Florio, but that was a clean hit. McGahee dropped his head right before the hit, and Clark was not “leading” with his helmet. I do completely agree about the music playing during the injury time out, that was completely disgusting.

  53. Video CLEARLY shows Clark was the ONLY one trying to move his head away from the contact. Wanna blame someone? Blame Willis. That’s a FACT. Typical excuse making Ravens fans will cling to whatever they have to….as usual. Get well Mcgahee. FU Ravens fans trying to claim “dirty hit”. Enjoy your offseason chumps. Excuses are all the Ravens or their fans are ever good for.

  55. I have lost all respect for you Mike. You have clearly let your bias against the Steelers effect your journalism. That is unacceptable. Suspended for the Super Bowl? Grow a pair.

  56. Independent observer here, not a fan of either team.
    It was a clean hit. Clark led with his shoulder. McGahee lowered his head when he saw the impact coming.
    Hopefully everyone will be ok.

  58. If you think he should be suspended for this hit your a retard like Florio. Start a CFL website if you don’t want to watch real football.

  59. <blockquote?
    TheAzzMan says:
    January 19th, 2009 at 12:01 am
    I have lost all respect for you Mike. You have clearly let your bias against the Steelers effect your journalism.
    I have lost all respet for you TheAzzMan… learn the difference between effect and affect.
    effect = noun
    affect = verb

  60. This is not shocking, the steelers (short of the Rooney family themselves) are notorious cheapshot dirty players. Ward, Porter when he was there, this clown who laid a BLATANT (you are an out of your mind Steelers homer if you don’t see it) H2H hit on McGahee.
    The sadder thing is that their fans are even MORE classless than the team!
    I’m a Ravens fan in L.A., minding my own business in the sports bar, and I was threatened to be cut with broken glass after the Polamalu INT by a Steelers fan. The same guy also was cheering “I Hope You’re Dead! I hope you’re Dead!” while McGahee was out.
    Can’t wait to see the Card’s throw the ball all over that D-fense.

  61. Are the people saying he “lead with his shoulder” watching the clip? He lowers his head, aims at the runner, and once it’s too late begins to turn to lead with his shoulder. But the first contact is still helmet to helmet, and he was originally leading with his helmet. I don’t understand how others can watch this and not see that.
    I will admit that the receiver may not be considered “defenseless” at the point of the hit, but it was still helmet to helmet.
    And as much as I’ve criticized you Florio, I’ll concede that dealing with people accusing you of bias against certain teams must get frustrating. I often accuse you of poorly analysing something, but accusations of bias are thrown against media so haphazardly it’s sickening.

  62. I’ve watched the replay several times. If you look at about the 50 second mark of the posted video, you can see that he lead with his shoulder, but because of the angle of which he was going, he collided helmet to helmet. I can see a fine for the incidental helmet to helmet if that’s what the rules say, but suspension from the Super Bowl would require the video showing intent to injury McGahee and that’s not the case. I’m sorry, for once, the video evidence you posted doesn’t support your statement, Florio. It wasn’t malicious intent, it was incidental at best.

  63. I Hope you’re OK too Willis.
    The league needs to get tougher and set an example of these kind of hits .
    If they don’t, they are encouraging more of the same and in effect contribute to the violence and injuries themselves.

  64. the helmet to helmet occurred due to the angle and more importantly due to mcgahee lowering his head.
    so many haters always want to turn hard hits into something they are not.
    if mcgahee keeps his head up it does not happen

  65. Sispension is a little harsh but a fine oh yeah. As for the Steelers fans are you kidding me ? Do any of you have a clue ? Holding Harrison all night ? That roughing the punter was a great call to. Steelers fans you suck as a whole you asshats have been getting every potential game changing call. Wow you people are ridic.
    Also next time Jim Nantz and Phil Simms do a game would they please take(insert steelers players name here) cocks out of their mouth. GO CARDS

  67. the game of football is fast and dangerous
    he did go in with his shoulder and mcgahee lowered his helmet
    fine mcgahee ….
    you steeler haters including florio are hilarious
    no fine, no suspension …just like the last time you idiots charged ryan clark with being dirty

  68. definetly helmet to helmet. thats one of their “gray area” rules they’ll enforce it if they want to. judgement call at the time but after reviewing it the league should hand out whatever fines they normally do for hits like that to at least be consistent. But then again it is the Steelers.

  69. Its obvious there was a helmet to helmet collision. The first thing clark did was grab his head. But the question is, did he lead with his helmet? I think its obvious he didn’t. No fine, no suspension.

  70. cmelton says:
    January 19th, 2009 at 12:09 am
    <blockquote?
    TheAzzMan says:
    January 19th, 2009 at 12:01 am
    I have lost all respect for you Mike. You have clearly let your bias against the Steelers effect your journalism.
    I have lost all respet for you TheAzzMan… learn the difference between effect and affect.
    effect = noun
    affect = verb
    My bad spelling champ. Will you ever forgive me for my grammatical error?

  72. Wrong wrong WRONG.
    Just because the helmets made contact does not mean that Clark led with his helmet.
    He launched himself shoulder-first into McGahee. McGahee began to duck to avoid the hit. Clark’s shoulder made first impact–this cannot be disputed–then their helmets collided as McGahee’s head continued to move downward in his ducking motion.
    There was no intent to cause helmet-to-helmet contact on Clark’s part–again, his shoulder clearly hits McGahee first–and the contact was an unfortunate coincidence of the uncontollable factors of human beings moving toward each other at high speed with the intention of colliding and inflicting more force than they meet.

  73. They created a monster when they let him get away with the Welker cheap shot. Now he wants to keep his rep going at anyones cost. He will get his soem day.

  74. Mike Florio.. You are and idiot and a hack writer. Everyone knows you are anti Steelers and you always have been. There is no way Clark led with his helmet. It was a good hit, which started with the shoulder pad and both guys momentem carried through and it ended up helmet to helmet. Go back to your high school newspaper when maybe you can get some readers to actually believe what you say. You suck!!! Steeler Nation Rules!!!
    And to the Ravens.. You guys had a great season with a rookie QB and head coach. Hold your heads up!! Great game and great year. Thank God Willis is going to be ok. Florio you suck!!!!

  75. Take off the pads and put them in flags. If you feel there should be a suspension then there is not a single reason for you to watch the “NFL Greatest Hits” compilation…….You see, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN LITTLE BABIES WITH ECONOMIC DEGREES AND LAW SCHOOL RUN FOOTBALL INSTEAD OF ACTUAL PLAYERS OF THE GAME.
    ASK RAY LEWIS OR WILLIS “ALWAYS INJURED” McGahee think a suspension is deserved. This is the biggest game of a football players life, AND FLORIO WANTS A SUSPENSION…. you’re a joke and probably throw like a GIRL

  76. I find it amazing how one of the most popular NFL news sites has an owner who knows so little about the NFL’s rules. This is not the first time when Florio has been oblivious about a fairly common rule.
    I guarantee that there won’t even be a fine.

  78. I am shocked at the number of people who believe Clark should be suspended for this.
    Firstly, have any of you people ever played football? Have you ever tried to tackle somebody running straight at you with his head down? There is no way to realistically make that tackle in a way other than what Clark did.
    Secondly, as others have pointed out, McGahee dropped his head at the last minute, meaning that any attempt to make a good low tackle would turn into a helmet to helmet hit.
    Thirdly, watch this tackle at full speed. Do you really think Clark even had time to make a conscious decision to make a helmet-to-helmet hit. It all happened so quickly.
    Fourthly, and maybe most importantly, why is it Clark that is accused of making a helmet-to-helmet hit and not McGahee? As far as I can see both players contributed to the hit being a clash of helmets. In fact, if anything, it is McGahee that dropped his helmet not Clark. Is it because McGahee was the one that got badly hurt? Isn’t that victim mentality?

  79. A defensive player should lead with the facemask — head up.
    If a tackle is made where first substantial contact results with the top of the helmet as the facemask is within 45 degrees of parallel to the ground, it should be considered leading with the crown.
    If the facemask is within 45 degrees of vertical, it should be considered leading with the face, or chin.
    This hit was the result of a history of being coached to crown opponents. Devastating hits are at a premium in the NFL, like dunks in the NBA — especially since ‘smacked UP!’ or whatever that barbarian 4 letter segment is called. The difference in the NBA is that a dunk is the highest percentage shot in the game. A crown tackle does not have a higher percentage of resulting in success — only injury.
    Injuries on the field sicken me — but it’s because we train young defenders to lead with the injuring portion of their head.

  81. Suspended, really? Oh I must have missed the pregame anouncement that they were going to be playing two-hand touch instead of tackle. It was a clean hit, certainly no worse than when Hines Ward laid the wood to Keith Rivers.

  83. Florio, you are a major league a -hole. The Clark hit was clean. Do us all a favor a stop your childish comments!

  85. I am a fan of BIG hits but he could have just as easily taken his legs out from underneath him also. I dont think it was intentional but he will and should recieve a nice fine for it!!!

  86. O.K. I’ve got to clear this up. For all of you that say Florio hates the Steelers, you have no clue. Mike grew up a Steelers fan. The only reason he comes off as hating is that he is trying to be impartial, and he goes too far the other way with them. Good lord, let it rest people, he doesn’t hate your team.

  87. This hit should definitely result in a suspension. The defender used his helmet to make the hit. It doesn’t matter if he tried to lead with his shoulder. His helmet was the first thing to hit McGahee. I’m sure that the NFL will suspend Clark.
    That doesn’t mean Clark is a dirty player. He just led with his helmet. Watch McGahee’s head snap back. Clark is holding his head after the collision. This kind of hit ends careers.
    Completely unnecessary.

  88. Stop it at :53 seconds. Leading with the shoulder. Despite the occasional opinion to the contrary, your helmet can hit the opponent – you can’t LEAD with your helmet.

  89. The NFL better get Clark under control before he kills or paralyzes somebody or they better drop the pretense of caring about unnecessary injury to players. Clark is a head-hunting cheap-shot artist and the NFL enabled him by letting him get away with it for so long.

  90. it was an unfortunate result but the hit wasn’t dirty. Clark turned his body to lead with his shoulder, just as he did on the hit to Wes Welker. if you wanna fine him for the helmet-to-helmet contact, fine, but a suspension? lighten up Florio.

  92. BonaFide Sports Expert Robert Littal says:
    January 18th, 2009 at 11:39 pm
    The question begs can “helmet to helmet” suspension be applied if it wasn’t a “defenseless receiver”, “Quarterback”, or “Blindside Cheap Shot”.
    The thing that will probably save Clark it was clear that McGahee who is right in front of him sees him and braces for the blow by ducking his head.
    McGahee takes a few steps before the hit. In that regard he is no different than a running back since he has possession and is moving forward.
    We all know that Clark is a head hunter, but based on the trend of the NFL I think they will let this one go.
    _________________________________
    Buy an ad.

  93. have a cry nayjevin. violent sports sicken you? then go away and post on a tennis site
    also should the players run around with protractors making sure their facemasks are constantly at 45 degrees or greater?

  94. Are you kidding? That was a clean legal hit in which he led with his shoulder. It was an accident. Are you just trying to stir the pot? Or are you just blind?

  95. “I know you’ve worked your butt off to get here, Ryan… but since your history of… I mean, your blatant intentions to hurt… I mean… umm… because Florio said so, we’re going to suspend you for playing football too hard. You’re also going to be suspended from the biggest game of your life. It’s only fair. Sorry.”
    Glad you’re not the commish…

  96. Ryan Clark is a bum. This isn’t the first time he went for the head. He should definitely be suspended for the Superbowl. Steeler apologists should just stop.

  97. Typical Steeler hit. Lead with the head and be called tough Steeler football…blah, blah, blah. Roll the tape again on Sweed’s “block” on Corey Ivy. Same thing. Of course, he had a chip on his shoulder after he pulled a fake injury for his bruised ego and lost a timeout. What a fraud.
    Same thing with Hines Ward’s “incredible” blocks downfield. Leads with the helmet almost every time.
    I agree with Ditka, give these tough guys leather helmets. We will then see how many use their heads as weapons.

  98. I disagree, clark led with his shoulder, it was an incredible hit, i don’t think clark tried to injure Mcgahee, as i heard this morning, football is not a contact sport, it’s a collision sport.

  99. Shoulder lowered … speed-of-action …
    No suspension …
    Not a fan of Steelers and not one of McGahee either …
    This is a game-speed, unfortunate situation …

  100. Mike your panties must be to tight. That was a clean hit, period. This is football you bunch of cry babies. Maybe the operator of this site should start covering women’s gymnastics, because apparently that’s all he has the stomach for.

  101. wheres the outcry for other helmet to helmet tackles? this happens 20 times a game. in fact willie parker got hit on a screen pass by one of the lbs (possibly scott) where the lb dove at him, and his helmet hit parkers facemask and chin first. because he wasnt injured these are fine?
    i have no problem with either the aforementioned hit, or clark’s hit, i’m just pointing out the lack of consistency with those who are outraged.

  102. I believe that they had figuring skating on so you would not have to see hard hits. THIS is the ONLY site commenting or even talking about a suspension for the play……..

  103. Earlier in the game Limas Sweed for the Steelers made what sure looked to me as a “Defenseless” helmet to helmet hit against a Baltimore defender trying to tackle Heath Miller on a tight end safety valve pass. Is it just me, or do the Steelers players (ie: Hines Ward, Troy Polamalu) seem to be involved in these types of hits more than any other team in the league?

  104. I’ve never seen so many pussy, mamma’s boy crybabies in thread in my entire life. If you pansies had your way, Dick Butkus, Ronnie Lott, Deacon Jones and every hard hitting defender who played the game would be kicked out of the HOF.
    It’s an embarrassment that I have something in common (the love of football) with you.

  105. Mike,
    Thank you & well said. That was a very dirty hit & I agree that Clark should be suspended. Phil Simms is a complete hick idiot, he reminds me of Steeler fans based on his comments. The guy clearly led w/ his helmet & its illegal. I dont think he intended to injure McGahee, but he did intend to strike him up high w/ his helmet. The NFL is cracking down on this b/c its dangerous. If you cannot see that your blinded by your toilet wipe terrible towel.
    Get a clue Pittsburgh,,,you city, your fans & your players are class-less.

  106. Not only should he get suspended for the superbowl, but where was the flag on the play? That was the definition of spearing. The ravens shoud never of lost possession of the ball on that play, the flag should’ve been thrown and I am a steelers fan and I think that.

  107. Mike Golic and Cris Carter both said that the Clark hit was clean. He lowered his shoulder and hit the way you are supposed to. Their helmets did connect but it wasn’t your typical helmet to helmet. I’ll take the word of two former NFL players from each side of the ball on this one. Suspension my *ss.

  109. Brinks says:
    January 19th, 2009 at 8:16 am
    Ryan Clark is a bum. This isn’t the first time he went for the head. He should definitely be suspended for the Superbowl. Steeler apologists should just stop.
    Seriously…Ravens whiners should just stop. I’m not even a god dam steelers fan and I can’t believe all the whining. It was a clean hit, plain and simple.
    As my old football coach used to say….”There’s a reason girls don’t play the game, son”

  110. YTOWNBROWN66 says: “Earlier in the game Limas Sweed for the Steelers made what sure looked to me as a “Defenseless” helmet to helmet hit against a Baltimore defender trying to tackle Heath Miller on a tight end safety valve pass. Is it just me, or do the Steelers players (ie: Hines Ward, Troy Polamalu) seem to be involved in these types of hits more than any other team in the league?”
    SteelerJim says… It’s just you.
    Or it’s just you not understanding the rules of blocking and tackling in the NFL.
    As I’ve posted earlier, I hate to see any injury of any player (the same can not be said of Ray Lewis screaming over RB Mendenhall “he’s done, he’s done” and collecting his bounty after a crushing but I must admit legal hit in the Ravens v. Steelers first game. But I digress…)
    I hate to see the injuries, however, these are legal plays. Legal, clean, violent because it’s not flag football plays.

  111. C’mon now folks, as wicked as that hit was, it certainly wasn’t meant to harm…the defender was leading with the shoulder and as McGahee approached, he tried to get lower by lowering his head, making it look as though the other guy was leading with his helmet. I’m neither a Steelers nor Ravens fan, for sure, but that was a good football hit that inadvertently hurt someone…
    I’m glad that Willis is going to be ok, and look forward to seeing him walking around South Beach, as I’m sure he will be soon, but that hit, as vicious as it was, was certainly not illegal…
    It certainly wasn’t the turning point in the game or was it the reason the Ravens lost…in fact, after watching that game, it makes me realize why football is the best of the pro sports…that’s how games are supposed to be…tough, hard-hitting and a little nasty…fun to watch, for sure…

  112. Good to see most of the Steelers fans on here are as classless as their Sound System team in Heinz Field. Clark should be suspended for one game, fined $50k and a game check. That is the precedent that has been set for cheap shot hits and Clark is just another Pittsburgh cheapshot artisit.

  113. i don’t know about most of you pansies, but where i come from that was a good hit…not great, but good. everyone needs to grow a pair…this is getting god damn ridiculous.

  114. The hit by Clark is a textbook helmet-to-helmet hit.
    1. He made no attempt to “see what he hit”
    2. He made no attempt to wrap up the ball carrier, his arms were down
    3. His eyes were down at the moment of contact it was by definition a “spear” by his helmet
    4. The ballcarrier’s position has no bearing on the helmet-to-helmet call, whether it is made or not
    5. The “head on a swivel” comments are patently ridiculous given that the ballcarrier was looking the other way when he caught the ball, and then he turned to the direction he wanted to run
    6. Quoting Phil “NFL Shill” Simms and Jim “Yes Commish, sir, Whatever you need, sir” Nantz is laughable

  115. Pretty simple argument for Clark being suspended and fined $30,000:
    this hit was worse than the hit Jets safety Eric Smith got fined $30,000 and suspended one game for. In Smith’s case, Boldin was pushed into him and so he was not in complete control of how the collision unfolded. Clark was in complete control over how this hit unfolded and it was a helmet-first hit.
    So, it doesn’t matter what your personal opinions are. If the league is consistent and impartial in how it dishes out discipline then Clark needs to be punished at least as severely as Smith was for his hit.

  116. Look. This is no pre-season game. This is the championship…a ticket to the big dance. Guys play their entire careers for a chance to play in a game like this. As fans we DEMAND that these athletes “step up” and “leave it all on the field” during these times. In my opinion this doesn’t look or feel like a malicious act. He didn’t leave his feet to make the hit. This was more a case where two talented athletes were locked in a struggle of wills. Neither one was going to “duck” the hit — these two guys just don’t duck. It’s unfortunate that one of these all-out competitors was injured, but I, for one, would not want to sacrifice the honesty of football competition (an admittedly violent sport) by punishing one if its true combatitants for doing exactly what he should have been doing: Playing hard, hitting hard, leaving it all on the field. Besides, to what end? What lesson would you want to teach this athlete that watching them cart someone off the field has not already taught?

  117. You need to get a bit of Chris Carter going on your site Florio…
    1. His take on this was it was a football play – pass over the middle – smaller safety trying to bring down bigger back – a collision – and football is a collision sport.
    2. On the Curtis non-call CC said – “Run a better route” and “It hit his hands so he should have caught it”
    The real crime in this game was the ridiculous rule that said the Holmes pass was incomplete after he took two steps with the ball and it got jarred loose when he tried to reach out for the end zone – stupid rule!!!!

  118. Wow, not a peep about Bart Scott leaving his feet(legal) and hitting FWP right in the face mask with the crown of his helmet (not). As shown in a glorious High Definition replay. I guess if FWP had been injured it would have caused an uproar. That said, very poorly officiated game.

  119. Yeah, Phil Simms said it was a clean hit, but he also said there was no such thing as helmet to helmet. Really? What are all those fines they’ve been handing out for?
    The biggest problem I have with the hit is Clark’s hands were practically tucked into his pants. He has to be fined, and a suspension would send a good message about not trying to kill someone.

  120. Looked like both knew it was going to be a hard hit and both ducked into each other. Even during slow motion.

  121. I think Florio was joking with his “UPDATE:..” statement. But it’s kind of scary how many people are now crying about the hit. Shows the power of suggestion, and the level of intelligence of the average Steeler hater.
    Phil Simms was actually correct – you CAN lead with your helmet when making a tackle on a ball carrier–it happens all the time. If the player is defenseless, which is code word for “trying to make a catch”, it’s a different story.

  122. I dont really know the rule but based on the video i dotn see any evidence that he attempted a helmet to helmet hit he got low he didnt dive either mcghee caught it and bent over a lil thats why helmets hit. Would he be suspended if they felt it wasnt an intentional helmet to helmet? or do they suspend you just cause helmets did hit?

  123. As a Ravens fan I’ll say it wasn’t a bad hit, just two players that ended up helmet-to-helmet. Clark was in the process of turning and McGahee lowered himself, getting ready for the impact. It was a hard hit, but not an illegal one IMO……

  124. I just find it interesting that it’s always a Steelers player whose goal is to make the big hit…whether a guy has the ball, whether he doesn’t, whether he’s making a football move, or whether he’s just standing there. That’s what they pride themselves in…moreso that playing solid fundamental football at times…hence why they’ve lost more AFC championship games that they’d care to.
    But I think I agree with the assessment that Clark started to lead with his shoulder but ended up resulting in a crushing helmet to helmet hit.
    If you’re going to fine Welker for making a snow angel, fine David Thomas for simply shoving a Colts player at the end of a play, the NFL better fine Clark to make him think twice. But considering there was no fine in hitting Welker earlier this season, I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s no fine here either.

  125. I hope someone breaks Roethlisberger’s knee in the super bowl. Then all you steeler fans can start whining about bullshit when its clear your the dirtiest team in the league. It would be awesome to see you all cry like pussies. And I was rooting for the steelers.

  126. Although the helmets did hit, it was unintentional and almost unavoidable. What they need to do is cover the helmets with some squishy gel-type, or nerf-ball type material. Anyone who has touched a helmet knows they are hard as heck and can inflict serious damage.

  127. I’ve been a long time fan of PFT and enjoy your blogs very much. I have never felt the need to comment on one of your posts until today. The impact with McGahee was extremely unfortunate. If you look at the replay again you will see Clark leading with his shoulder, McGahee lowers his head, contact was made with Clark’s shoulder first and then his helmet. How can you blame Clark for McGahee lowering his head?

  128. @kr00nd says: “I hope someone breaks Roethlisberger’s knee in the super bowl. Then all you steeler fans can start whining about bullshit when its clear your the dirtiest team in the league.”
    SteelerJim says… Wait for it… Yes… the absolute bottom.
    @kr00nd , your comment has zero logic.
    @kr00nd is upset because he thinks a play was dirty and someone got hurt, so now what @kr00nd hopes for is…. um… er… someone else to get hurt. Yeah! that’ll show’em.
    Foolish.
    The Steelers are not the dirtiest team in the league. Among the most physical, yes. Dirty, not at all. Ridiculous comment.

  129. Didn’t the Jets player that broke Anquoin Boldin’s face get a one game suspension? And watching the reply of that hit Boldin lowered his head at the last minute and that made the hit worse than it would of been. Same situation here. Clark needs to sit. Regardless of when the hit took place, precedent has been set with the Jets player’s hit on Boldin so Clark sitting for the SuperBowl should be a lock.
    But I am sure that will not happen. Clark playes for the Steelers remember.

  130. Look. You can’t pick and choose when you’re going to enforce the rules. His helmet hit first, plain and simple, and intent hasn’t mattered yet in the NFL rulings on this because a TV camera can’t show intent. You go by what happened, and if all the crap that was getting fined earlier in the year was seen as bad, then the head-to-head hit that could have ended McGahee’s career should certainly be fined and maybe even suspended. Anything short is just hypocrisy by the NFL.
    They created their own precedent, and they can’t change their own rules just because the spotlight is brighter.

  131. While I agree with alot of what is on this website, I couldnt disagree more here. Clearly McGahee braced himself and put his head down before impact. If he didnt, there would have been no helmet to helmet contact.

  133. I have to agree with a couple other people. Bart Scott put the same type of hit on Willie Parker earlier in the game. I say we all let bygones be bygones and all the steeler fans ante up. Everyone pitch in so we can send Willis a 2008 Steelers’ AFC Championship t-shirt. Oh, and while we are at it, why not send him an AFC North champions hat.

  134. Why is anyone defending this hit? That was awful putting a player’s career at risk. Clark could have hit McGahee anywhere and there is a huge difference between hitting someone around there shoulders and up and hitting them in the chest. Clark left his feet to go high, and I’m sure he wasn’t thinking “I’ll go helmet to helmet” but when you go like that up high on a player, it can happen and did. I have DVR on HD and it was clear that his helmet hit McGahee right on the front of his helmet. Are you guys seriously saying a shoulder to the upper chest results in a concussion like that? Stop defending Clark…awful choice to go high like that, regardless if he led with his shoulder. What resulted was a helmet to helmet hit that shouldnt have happened. At that level of play, you put not only careers but lives at risk. A suspension from the Super Bowl is appropriate.

  135. Again, if you’re defending the hit, tell me where Clark’s arms were? They were tucked in to his chest/stomach, even during the last few yards when he was running to make the hit. Arms tucked in, helmet to helmet, oh yeah, and he left his feet to make the hit up high. Yeah, totally clean hit.

  136. If you actually watch it on a dvr recording where you can go frame by fram you will see that he is leading with his shoulder and even braces his shoulder to make the hit you will also see his a shoulder to shoulder hit a second before the heads collide. And the comments to him leaving his feet, he does not leave his feet until after they collide.

  137. grizlies98 says:
    January 19th, 2009 at 9:35 am
    Not only should he get suspended for the superbowl, but where was the flag on the play? That was the definition of spearing. The ravens shoud never of lost possession of the ball on that play, the flag should’ve been thrown and I am a steelers fan and I think that.
    _________________________
    No you’re not.
    Mrs Football says:
    January 19th, 2009 at 10:36 am
    Good to see most of the Steelers fans on here are as classless as their Sound System team in Heinz Field. Clark should be suspended for one game, fined $50k and a game check. That is the precedent that has been set for cheap shot hits and Clark is just another Pittsburgh cheapshot artisit.
    ______________________________
    You are without a doubt the most snivelling sugar britches to post on this site. I don’t even have to go after you, I can sit back and smile at the utter agony of the Steelers being in the Super Bowl causes you. You can now back to praying for the team plane to crash on the way to Tampa, asshat.

  138. He led with this shoulder and was aiming dead at his numbers just a few feet before the collision. McGahee lowered his head to try to run Clark over (he weights 30lbs more) and got his bell rung.
    Your anti-Pittsburgh bias is obvious, and I was gonna say you need another weeks experience at ESPN to get some chops but you already break down plays almost as well as Phil Simms, Chris Collinsworth, or John Madden so what does the rest of the world know that you don’t.

  139. whytemyke says:
    “Look. You can’t pick and choose when you’re going to enforce the rules.”
    Yes you can…the NFL does it week in and week out…as we’ve seen some guys get fined for chickensh*t stuff, and some not for really vicious hits…and then the opposite the next week. Go figure…

  140. @kr00nd says:
    January 19th, 2009 at 11:48 am
    I hope someone breaks Roethlisberger’s knee in the super bowl. Then all you steeler fans can start whining about bullshit when its clear your the dirtiest team in the league. It would be awesome to see you all cry like pussies. And I was rooting for the steelers.
    _________________________
    No you weren’t, but it’s funny to see which pussy is crying right now.
    If you think that play was dirty and the Steelers are the dirtiest team in the league you had to ask someone what inning it was when Clark hit McGahee. Because you dont’ know shit about football.

  141. Wow. This is sickening. I knew people hated the Steelers and that’s fine with me. But Florio’s B.S. and people’s pure hatred for a successful franchise with great ownership shouldn’t perpetuate such a vile response to a football hit. I noticed no one seemed to have a problem with Ray Lewis’ celebration after he broke Mendenhall’s shoulder in September (“He’s done! he’s done!”) I noticed no one cares when a player from any other team leads with his helmet, which happens 20 times a game.
    How about for fun we all act like men and recognize that we watch a game of violent collisions. And when you have violent collisions, people are going to get hurt. How about Florio and the rest of you women crying foul about the hit sit back and realize why you’re really bitching about this.
    Get on with your lives. Discrediting the hard-fought achievements of the Steelers with your whiny excuses won’t help the fact that you’re all a bunch of anonymous a-holes who have nothing better to do than cry about a football hit. A football hit. A legal football hit.
    Polamalu was right, it’s turning into a pansy league. But I’m starting to see that more from the fans and media than the league itself.

  142. if you think he should be suspended ur an idiot no helmet to hemelt contact rule there just when hitin qb clean legel hit thats football thats why they get big bucks what you want touch football come on read the rules

  143. your wrong you can go helmet to helmet any time except spearin qb no cheap shot thats what they practice it is still tackle football right come on wake up

  144. tex big balls wake up clark got history of getin guy down u know tackle football doesnt matter if he leads with helmet shoulder or his balls got ball stoped from advancing that would be the defence guys make hunherd of mounts money wanted cto see him hit him harder thats how u playdont wish injurys on anyone but defence taughgt hit hard fools

  145. the impact was clearly mcgahee’s helmet to the space between clark’s head and shoulder. open field tackles when two people are running full speed happen this way alot when the runner doesn’t try to make a move. mcgahee’s bracing himself, while not the only factor, was the major contributing factor. he placed his helmet in the wrong place when he realized clark was going to make him look like a tackling dummy. and in case no one noticed, clark got a concussion too. mcgahee used clark’s momentum to earhole him. if he would have made an evasive maneuver instead of trying to buck up to clark’s momentum, he wouldn’t even be in this situation. clark deserves no punishment, end of story.

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