If you thought Barry Church’s massive hit on Rob Gronkowski in the AFC Championship Game was dirty, Richard Sherman simply does not agree with you.
In the final minutes of the first half of the New England Patriots’ tilt with the Jacksonville Jaguars at Gillette Stadium, Tom Brady zipped a pass up the seam intended for Rob Gronkowski. The big tight end initially had possession of the football, but it was jarred loose after a crushing hit by Jaguars safety Barry Church.
Here’s a look at the hit that might’ve concussed Gronk pic.twitter.com/c7LGmSQYHh
— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) January 21, 2018
Rob Gronkowski get smoked, now in concussion protocol, big blow for #GoPatriots #AFCChampionship #JAXvsNE
— Fantasy Sports Degens (@FantasyDegens) January 21, 2018
Gronkowski immediately exited the field after the blow to the head and made his way to the Patriots’ locker room, where he was evaluated for a concussion. He did not take the field to start the second half, but he’s officially listed as questionable to return.
While there’s no denying the helmet-to-helmet contact on the play, Sherman believes Church was caught in a lose-lose situation. Here’s why the Seattle Seahawks cornerback is fine with how the sequence transpired:
The hit on Gronk is the only way Church could have done his job without just obliterating Gronks knee. If he would have just hit him low most ppl would calm him dirty. So there is nothing he can do to make everyone happy and do his job. Unless you think he should let him catch
— Richard Sherman (@RSherman_25) January 21, 2018
This certainly is a noteworthy take, especially coming from Sherman. The star CB has been outspoken about the NFL’s handling of head injuries, even going as far as saying that the league’s concussion protocol is “an absolute joke.”
We have a feeling Patriots fans might have a different opinion on the big hit on Gronk.
