Carolina Panthers safety Eric Reid's hit on Benjamin Watson hit wasn't personal, even though that is what some believed after the hit.
Watson caught a pass and was already touched down when Reid led his shoulder into Watson's head. Watson laid on the ground for a while before getting up under his own power and walking to the sideline.
Ben Watson leaves the field under his own power but did have his helmet taken from him. The late hit provided by Eric Reid. The two men not seeing eye to eye on Twitter this week fwiw. #Patriots pic.twitter.com/VKJK6X2U9e
— Mike Giardi (@MikeGiardi) August 23, 2019
Earlier this week Watson had tweeted at Reid saying he was wrong on his thoughts about Malcolm Jenkins and Jay-Z.
Quote starts with “"I could be completely wrong, but since…”
Yes @E_Reid35 you are wrong! You know the work many of us including @MalcolmJenkins have done. No one entity owns this movement. We are all a continuation of the generations who fought before us. We need each other https://t.co/C154KIvD1X
— Benjamin Watson (@BenjaminSWatson) August 18, 2019
After the game, Reid said he didn't even know that Watson had tweeted at him, and even if he did that isn't something that would have crossed his mind in the heat of the moment.
“I didn’t even know he tweeted me,” Reid said, via Nick Goss of NBCSportsBoston.com. “That’s not even something you process in a game. I’m not analyzing who has the ball in their hand and what they tweeted at me while I’m playing the game.”
Reid was penalized 15 yards for unnecessary roughness but wasn't ejected. He could still be subject to a fine if the NFL reviews the play and deems it meets that criteria.
After the play, Reid was talking to Watson and according to the Panthers safety, he was just making sure that Watson was fine.
“I just asked him if he was OK, if he could stand up,” Reid explained. “You hate to see somebody get hurt.”
Even if Reid didn't have any intent behind the play, it was still clear that the play was late and shouldn't have happened, especially during the preseason.
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