Jets Ripped for Bad-Taste Roughing
Credit: Unsplash
Just because it’s a contact sport doesn’t mean you can check a guy whenever you want.
I’m starting to think my family just has really bad taste in sports teams. My dad’s favorite baseball team is the Mets, and his favorite football team is the Jets. Much like being a Mets fan, being a Jets fan is currently suffering, seeing as how they have not landed a single win all season. It seems the team’s losing streak is starting to agitate the players, because during Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers, they pulled a bit of a bad-taste move.
During yesterday’s game, during a play by Chargers QB Justin Herbert, he received the ball from the pass, but when it was clear he was about to be tackled, he slid to the ground to signal his surrender. The player that was running at him slowed to a stop, and by all means, that should’ve been the end of it. However, apparently not content with Herbert’s surrender, Jets defensive tackle Nathan Shepherd bounded up and chest-checked Herbert back to the ground.
This roughing the passer penalty is the most Jets thing ever. pic.twitter.com/p1gt5YrORs
— Andy Nesbitt (@anezbitt) November 22, 2020
Shepherd was promptly slapped with a roughing-the-passer penalty, and you could hear the collective groans of the world’s Jets fans. Thankfully, despite being an unauthorized tackle, Herbert didn’t hit the ground that hard, and was perfectly fine. Even so, checking a guy after he’s already surrendered is a pretty big lame-o move.
I don't know if I've seen a more inexcusable mistake this #Jets season than what Nathan Shepherd just did. Some of their 11 roughing-the-passer penalties have been ticky-tacky. That's just boneheaded.
— Adam Zielonka (@Adam_Zielonka) November 22, 2020
After the game, which the Jets lost 34-28, fans took to social media to rip Shepherd for his bad conduct. Some joked that if they were hoping to draft Trevor Lawrence of Clemson, one of the major picks of the draft, then a 0-10 streak and multiple roughing-the-passer penalties is a pretty lousy way to get attention.
