Nick Piccone
Deshazor Everett didn’t have much time to react, and that caused him to launch into Darren Sproles’ head during a punt in Sunday’s game. We’ve showed you the video and what the outcome has been for Sproles, but how about Everett? The Redskins were assessed a 15-yard penalty, but that was it. Some Eagles, like Jason Peters, didn’t want to risk getting thrown out of the game since he didn’t have a backup. So he says.
But today, Everett apologized about the hit to Sproles.
This was the biggest media crowd of Everett’s NFL career, and he answered every question. This was maybe the best part pic.twitter.com/d2P2uaS3fA
— Dan Steinberg (@dcsportsbog) December 12, 2016
Here’s much more from Everett on Darren Sproles pic.twitter.com/3nFqTaK3nY
— Dan Steinberg (@dcsportsbog) December 12, 2016
If you can’t see the tweets, they read:
“I’m happy about my interception. I’m happy about the way I played,” Everett told me after the crowd of reporters dissipated. But if I could have taken that split second back, I definitely would. It’s too late. You can’t take it back. You can’t rewind. It’s not a video game. You make choices out there on the field, and you’ve just got to live with it. Unfortunately, it was a bad hit.
“I mean, I have the utmost respect for the guy. He’s been in the league for a long time. He’s one of the best of the punt returners in the league. When we game plan for him – we play them twice a year, this is my second year game planning – coaches say we’ve got to get this guy stopped, he’s super quick. As you see, he broke one for a touchdown; luckily we got a block in the back call. As you’re playing someone like that, you don’t have time to think, ‘Oh, let me brake down,’ because you’re going to miss him in the open field. That’s why I just took my shot, and unfortunately it was too early.
“But I will probably try to reach out and just let him know it was nothing personal. I wasn’t trying to take anyone out of the game, no malicious intent behind the hit. People are gonna see it how they see it, but I know in my heart that I wasn’t trying to take the guy out of the game. If he would have caught the ball and I miss the tackle, then I’m laughed at and on ESPN. Since I hit him too early and he’s out of the game, now I’m the bad guy.
“You’ve got to just take your shots when you get an opportunity. When you’re in the middle of playing the game, and you’re just playing full speed, you’re just trying to get the job done.”
Pretty classy of Everett to continue talking about how he regrets the hit, and I’m sure that might endear him to some here. That being said, it’s still a helmet-to-helmet and if the NFL wants to crack down on player safety like they so often say, a hit like that should warrant an ejection.