Rapoport: NFL reviewing hit on Cincinnati Bengals punter Kevin Huber - NFL Videos I guess there is a rule somewhere that says the punter is "defenseless" throughout the entire play and shouldn't be touched? He got touched.. wow!
That's stupid. If he didn't want to get hit he should have been running away from the ball, not toward it. He was clearly trying to catch the returner so he then deserves no special treatment.
Exactly, if you're going to try and go after a ball carrier, you're going to receive the same treatment as any of the other players, evcen though that would be like me rocking a 12 year old
While I agree that the punter, actively pursuing a returner should be treated like any other player, that hit was probably uncalled for. Lets be honest, punters are not football players, they are not the same type of athlete, not the same size or strength as the rest of the players on the field. A good comparison would be a smart car being t-boned by an F-350. There's just not going to be much smart car left. I'm not a fan of those type of hits, the punter never saw it coming, never had a chance to protect himself. That's really not what this sport should be about.
Yes but you are assuming he knew he was hitting the punter. There was a lot of white uniforms in the area - the block itself wouldn't have been excessive for any other of those.
The hit on anyone would've been excessive I agree. If the punter is defenseless then kick and run off the field. If he engages in the play then he's fair game and putting his own chin on the line as is any other defender. How can you be defenseless when you're trying to defend something?
Obviously it was excessive. Look at the pictures, first off, it was a helmet first hit. He launched himself and lead with the helmet. By rule, that is an illegal hit. On top of a fractured jaw, the punter has a fractured vertebra. NFL Confirms That Steelers Hit On Bengals Punter Kevin Huber Was Illegal - Cincy Jungle
I agree, but the hit would have been illegal if had been on any player on the field. The refs just missed it.
Yeah the hit is illegal on whoever the player was. That's a separate issue. The rule that has been brought up though is he's not supposed to be blocked at all (in any way) throughout the entire down because he's deemed "defenseless" the whole time until the play is over. That IMO is ridiculous.
Right, If the punter is actively engaged in the play, they by all mean block him. Just don't turn yourself into a missile and lead with your helmet.
Trying to avoid life threatening injuries by not allowing certain type of hits doesn't seem unreasonable to me.
Life threatening injuries from a block? Here is my take to the punter. Run onto the sidelines after you punt the ball if yo dont want to get hit. My goodness I cannot believe he was defenseless. Once you strap on a football helmet you have now said " I am ready and I am not defenseless".
I have no issue with punters being hit like any other player. But, that hit was obviously illegal...the blocker drove his helmet into the punters chin and broke his jaw
