It wasn’t long before everyone knew that Los Angeles Chargers Safety Derwin James Jr. may be fired. for an evil blow Indianapolis Colts receiver Ashton Doolin.
James came up with the crown of his helmet and hit Dulin in the head and neck after Dulin made a short catch. The blow sounded as if something had exploded in the field, and the crowd reacted immediately. Dulin was down for a few moments.
“We’ve watched a lot of football, and I don’t know if you’ve ever seen a hit like that,” ESPN analyst Troy Aikman said.
James earned a 15-yard penalty and was ruled out for the hit. This type of strike hasn’t been banned for decades, but it was shocking to see it in the current environment. Aikman had been talking about it for a while after James was fired.
“It was a huge crash like I’ve seen in a very long time,” Aikman said.
Dolin returned to the locker room shortly after the injury, and was later ruled out with a concussion. Dulin was defenseless on the play and James hit him in the head and neck with the crown of his helmet—practically a textbook example of what the NFL is trying to erase from the game.
James is a great player, but his aggressiveness cost the Chargers Monday night. It would probably cost him a hefty fine as well.
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