Green Bay Packers rookie Quay Walker is on the receiving end of a major backlash after his embarrassing action in Week 18 against the Detroit Lions.
Walker was ejected midway through the fourth quarter of the contest after he shoved a Lions medical trainer who was only helping D'Andre Swift. The Detroit running back was slow to get up after he was tackled near the Packers' 10-yard line, but as the trainer was checking him, Walker just suddenly pushed the said staffer.
The 22-year-old linebacker was quickly ejected from the game. Even worse, he cost the Packers the lead, which eventually doomed them and took away their shot at the postseason.
Sure enough, his action sparked a lot of angry reactions. Last Monday, an athletic trainer helped in saving the life of Damar Hamlin, giving those in the same position more appreciation. But Walker did not only disrespect a staffer but also chose to be physical and violent.
“I'm livid about Quay Walker. A medical professional came onto the field to attend to an injured player and Quay Walker shoved him. That cannot ever be tolerated. Suspend him multiple games,” Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk said.
Meanwhile, the Pro Football Talk account tweeted, “Anyone making excuses for Quay Walker shoving a trainer needs to remember that only six days ago a trainer SAVED THE LIFE of Damar Hamlin.”
Chris Canty of ESPN added, “Quay Walker’s actions were an embarrassment! How can you hit members of the Lions medical staff while they’re trying to assist an injured player? Beyond the competitive disadvantage he created by being disqualified, it’s a lack of awareness after the events of this past week.”
“We had an Athletic trainer save someone’s life on Monday and tonight Quay Walker shoved one, such an idiot,” another fan said.
Even Packers head coach Matt LaFleur expressed his disappointment towards Quay Walker for what he did. In his postgame presser after Green Bay's 20-16 defeat to the Lions, the veteran tactician shared that what his player did is “unacceptable.”
“I have a much higher standard for our players than to do something silly like that. We’ve had a guy ejected twice. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that in my career. I take that very personally. It is unacceptable,” LaFleur said.
With how things went for the Packers, it won't be surprising to see if Walker gets punished by the team and the league.
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