The Green Bay Packers entered Sunday Night Football staring at a perfect opportunity to reach the playoffs. They needed to defeat the Detroit Lions and they were in. Meanwhile, the Lions were eliminated earlier in the day with a Seattle Seahawks overtime win vs. the Los Angeles Rams.
Despite that, Detroit came to play Sunday night. Midway through the fourth quarter with the Packers leading 16-13, the Lions were driving for a winning score. After D'Andre Swift was tackled near the Packers 10-yard line, he was hit in the head and lay on the ground injured. The Lions athletic training staff had to come out and check him.
Packers first-round pick, Quay Walker, then decided to shove the athletic trainer. That resulted in an automatic first and goal as Walker was ejected from the game.
#Packers first-round rookie LB Quay Walker has been ejected for shoving a member of the #Lions training staff.
Clear and obvious.pic.twitter.com/qxm9ycHt8I
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 9, 2023
It was very obvious and the right call to eject the Packers rookie. There has obviously been a heightened understanding and importance of what athletic trainers mean to football teams amid the Damar Hamlin injury.
Walker was seen sobbing as he headed down the tunnel toward the locker room. That was far from the only mistake that cost Green Bay though.
Later in the drive, Lions running back Jamaal Williams scored his second rushing touchdown of the game. That was his 17th on the season, breaking a franchise record previously held by the legendary Barry Sanders.
That was clearly a costly penalty, as it moved the ball inside the five yard line. The Packers were unable to complete a comeback and were eliminated from playoff contention.
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