NFLWeird But True

“We Gotta Put A Hit On That Guy”: The Giants Targeted Kyle Williams Because Of His Concussion History

Some call it smart football. Others might call it dirty. But after the New York Giants defeated the San Francisco 49ers in a hard-fought NFC Championship game, a few Giant players alluded to the fact that they had kick returner Kyle Williams as a marked man, thanks to his history of suffering from concussions. Expect to hear a lot more about this as the week goes on.

Williams, who essentially fumbled away the 49ers chances at reaching the Super Bowl, has suffered four concussions in his young career. Of course, the Giants were well aware of his medical history, and special teamer Jacquian Williams said as much after the game while speaking to the media.

“The thing is, we knew he had four concussions, so that was our biggest thing, was to take him outta the game.”

Devin Thomas, who recovered both of Williams’ fumbles reiterated the Giants game-plan, told the Star-Ledger:

“We were just like, ‘We gotta put a hit on that guy.’ … [Giants reserve safety Tyler] Sash did a great job hitting him early and he looked kind of dazed when he got up. I feel like that made a difference and he coughed it up.”

Is that a cheap shot or just part of the game? It all depends on who you ask. If you’re a Giants fan, it’s smart football. If you’re a 49ers fan, it’s something much more vile.

Whatever you might believe, it’s safe to say that Williams was not singularly responsible for losing the game — sure, he didn’t help any — but he doesn’t deserve the death threats he and his family are receiving. That, we all agree on.

[NY Mag]