No word on repercussions for Jalen Ramsey-Golden Tate incident after Rams-Giants game
A day after Rams star cornerback Jalen Ramsey and New York Giants receiver Golden Tate scuffled on the field after a game, Rams coach Sean McVay said Monday he had not heard from the NFL regarding possible impending discipline and added any team disciplinary action would be handled internally.
On Sunday, after the clock ticked down to end the Rams’ 17-9 victory at SoFi Stadium, coaches, players and support personnel from both teams had to pull Ramsey and Tate apart, causing what McVay described as “a melee.â€
Neither Ramsey nor Tate was made available to reporters on video conferences after the game. McVay said he had since spoken to Ramsey.
“Just making sure that we’re all on the same page of, we can’t allow some of those things to get in the way, whether it ends up something bad happening for you or for our football team,†McVay said during a video conference with reporters.
Ramsey has two young daughters with Tate’s sister, Breonna. Tate was publicly upset on social media after the couple reportedly went through a breakup last year.
Giants coach Joe Judge told New York reporters Monday that the account he got from his players was that Tate did not throw the initial punch and that Tate was defending himself.
Scoring is up in the NFL, and that could be because penalties are down. Entering Week 4, there had been an average of 13.65 penalties per game this season, down from 18.54 through the same stretch last season.
Ramsey made an aggressive hit on Tate in the fourth quarter after Tate caught a third-down pass short of a first down.
Rams safety John Johnson said Monday that he was aware there might be tension between Ramsey and Tate.
“A few us had a feeling, you know, it was going to be a little chippy,†Johnson said during a video conference with reporters.
Johnson noted Ramsey was not penalized for a personal foul during the game and did nothing detrimental to the team’s effort.
“He was doing his job, he was making big plays, he was hitting — everything he did was clean,†Johnson said. “So I mean, hey, if he wants to talk … that’s his swagger and personality so you just got to let him go.
“Just make sure his head stays in footballwise and don’t get too distracted.â€
After the teams went to their locker rooms, Ramsey returned to the field in his uniform and walked from end zone to end zone several times with Jacques McClendon, the Rams director of player engagement.
With two games already postponed because of positive coronavirus tests, the NFL could benefit from expanding the season to an 18th week.
Sunday’s incident was not the first postgame altercation involving Ramsey.
Last season, after the Baltimore Ravens routed the Rams 45-6 at the Coliseum, team staffers had to separate Ravens cornerback Marcus Peters and Ramsey as they engaged in a heated verbal altercation on the field.
Peters, who had been traded by the Rams to the Ravens hours before the Rams traded for Ramsey, had intercepted a pass during the blowout. Ramsey was restrained by team personnel as he left the field, and Peters yelled several obscenities at no one in particular as he ran up the Coliseum tunnel.
In the aftermath of the incident involving Tate, McVay did not reveal specifics of his conversation with Ramsey.
“I didn’t get into the, ‘He said, she said,’ †McVay said. “It was really more along the lines of ‘Let’s be smart. Let’s make sure we don’t let this take away from what we just were able to accomplish as a team.’ â€
McVay noted that Ramsey’s third-down stop of Tate was “all within the legal parameters of how we play football,†and sparked the Rams to score on the ensuing possession.
“That’s how we can get out some frustration if we have it,†McVay said.
Houston Texans coach and general manager Bill O’Brien has been fired, Texans chairman and CEO Cal McNair announced Monday.
Before the season, the Rams gave Ramsey a five-year, $105-million extension that made him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history.
Asked if he was more concerned than he might be otherwise because of the investment the Rams made in Ramsey, McVay said no. He said the incident was “not in alignment with how we want to do it†and that “I expect us to be better†moving forward.
“It’s more about, all right let’s understand it and let’s make sure we learn from this situation,†McVay said.
Etc.
Linebacker Micah Kiser suffered a groin strain and a chest injury against the Giants, making his status for practice Wednesday uncertain, McVay said. Kiser sat out all of last season because of a chest injury that required surgery. Linebacker Kenny Young (knee inflammation) and offensive lineman Bobby Evans (shoulder) also will be monitored, McVay said. ... Safety Jordan Fuller (shoulder), who was inactive against the Giants, and running back Cam Akers (ribs), who has been sidelined for two games, are expected to return this week, McVay said. It also is possible that rookie outside linebacker Terrell Lewis (knee) could be activated to the roster, McVay said.
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