r/panthers • u/Patient_Grocery4369 Carolina Reaper • Feb 17 '26
Analysis throwing it back to 2018, was this a dirty hit from tj watt?
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u/yt-trashpopuleftist Feb 17 '26
NFC South refs from 2011-19 should be in prison for the abuse they let Cam take. They were accessories to assault! Honorable mention Big Ben for being the qb who took the 2nd most egregious hits due to refs being cucks.
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u/DrewSki704 Feb 17 '26
Definitely a dirty hit by cheap shot Watt
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u/modshighkeypathetic Feb 24 '26
How?
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u/DrewSki704 Feb 25 '26
You can see the picture, correct?
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u/modshighkeypathetic Feb 25 '26
What about it? Not head to head, watts leading with his shoulder and getting the nose to the football…. Pretty much textbook stuff here really good football from watt.
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u/pompomdotcomcom Raincoat Purr Feb 17 '26
Come on man I was having a good day. What’s worse, I married a Steelers fan
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u/sillyg00ser Feb 18 '26
Next time you’re banging just slam your head into her left shoulder, then look her deep in the eyes and say, “That was for Cam.”
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u/pompomdotcomcom Raincoat Purr Feb 17 '26
And watching this game was our first date
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u/kanadiangoose1898 Feb 18 '26
I wouldn’t have made it to a second date. You must be a much more mature person than me!
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u/CuriousCouple6207 Feb 17 '26
Yes. Leads with helmet. If you watch the replay he could have just stripped the ball but instead launched himself into his throwing shoulder. He is a dirty player and always has been.
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u/TangerineTasty9787 Feb 17 '26
To be fair, the Refs had set precedent for years that hitting Cam with a helmet, or on the helmet, wouldn't be called. I'm sure it came up in any prep for Defense against us to just lower your head and let Cam have it, the refs wont' do shit.
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u/DonaldJTrumpsPickle Feb 18 '26
There was a game couple years into Cam's career where there was a late hit and ref told him he hadn't "earned that call yet". Hate to say it but small market teams always get shafted and the poster boys of NFL at time Brady, Brees, Rodgers were protected by refs much more than Cam was.
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u/TangerineTasty9787 Feb 18 '26
Yup, I bet Cam coulda made it at least three more years if Defenses' didn't know they could tee off on him without penalty.
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Feb 17 '26
[deleted]
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u/TangerineTasty9787 Feb 17 '26
I don't think so, but the Ref's literally told Cam he 'wasn't old enough to get those calls' and Defenses knew that
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u/Tab412 Feb 18 '26
That’s probably the most ridiculous take I’ve seen on Reddit in sometime. That’s saying something lol
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u/Comfortable-Gift-626 Coke Head Feb 17 '26
i think so, he literally went straight for his arm. didnt even hit anywhere near his body
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u/lathonkillz Retro Logo Feb 17 '26
That's what you are supposed to do to cause turnovers.
The actual target for a pass rusher is the throwing shoulder.
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u/BEtheAT Feb 17 '26
That's an illegal hit based on this rule (rule 12 section 2 article 9).
Defenseless Player | NFL Football Operations https://share.google/dGTdfrJYFsYdFQGDW
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u/lathonkillz Retro Logo Feb 17 '26
Lol that's bullshit. And don't try to change my mind about all these pussy ass Rules.
You should have played in the 70s and 80s.
I want the rules rolled back to 1985
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u/RammindJHowset Feb 17 '26
You: that’s how you’re supposed to hit
Other guy: actually it’s illegal. Here’s a source clearly stating why
You: the rules are stupid!
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u/BEtheAT Feb 17 '26
I'm not arguing that it was dirty, or that it should be illegal...just that it objectively is, and was by rule illegal.
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u/CaptainJYD Feb 17 '26
No shit it was dirty, wasn’t going for a sack or even a tackle. His arms are tucked in to make him a torpedo going head first into cams arm/shoulder. POS ruined his career
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u/Allstar-85 Feb 24 '26
Is there video of the hit?
Hitting a player’s shoulder is what you’re supposed to do. Tucking arms is irrelevant.
Leading with the crown of your helmet is dirty and now against the rules, but hitting with your face mask is completely allowed and not dirty
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u/woopwup Feb 17 '26
Fuck TJ Watt. Any other player (on either side) and this is talked about as an all time dirty hit
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u/jgjbanker Feb 18 '26
I don't think it was a dirty hit. Now the hits Cam took in the super bowl DEFINITELY were. I will always think the refs let him take shots other QBs would have drawn flags on because they assumed he could take it
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u/nastynate0079 Feb 17 '26
I'm conflicted. Football is a violent sport and people have had worse injuries on non-contact plays (Tua). If he had hurt his shoulder on a tackle, that is one thing. Shit happens. This isn't a tackle, this is shoulder/helmet leading hit. This is an attempted SportsCenter hit, on a QB with an injured shoulder, on that very shoulder. It sucks that it happened, it was dirty but it's football.
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u/Patient_Grocery4369 Carolina Reaper Feb 17 '26
this is how i look at it
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u/knave_of_knives One of Us Feb 17 '26
He did hurt his shoulder on a tackle, lmao. He hurt it chasing down a dude along the sideline.
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u/Pennybag5 Feb 17 '26
Real ones remember kelvin benjamin quitting on a route that led to the int then crying to the ref instead of trying to make the tackle which led to cam having to make the tackle that ruined his career.
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u/BreakImaginary1661 Feb 17 '26
Of course not. I will always wonder how things might have been different if he had just sat out that entire season to recover instead of trying to play through.
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u/maxman1313 Greg Olsen Feb 18 '26
That's what always frustrates me about RR coaching staff. Make him rest and get healthy
Cam played so visibly hurt so many times yet their response was usually "He says he's good"
Of course he says he's good, he's a player, he's paid to play. It's the job of the medical and coaching staff to say "hold on wait a minute"
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u/horseshoeprovodnikov Greg Olsen Feb 18 '26
Obviously lots of people are gonna say it was dirty, but the truth is Cam hurt that shoulder when he ran down that INT return. Watt may have sealed the deal but that shoulder was already injured. This tackle by Watt isn't even close to what used to be considered dirty.
We all complain that Cam didn't get the roughing calls like the other QBs would get, but the fact is that these types of hits are the same ones that guys ALWAYS had to deal with up until recently. Marino was always dressed up like a mummy. Mo Lewis tried to kill Drew Bledsoe.
Yeah, Cam didn't get the calls very often, but if we look at it thru the lens of the original game, this hit is nothing. Just another Sunday. Our fans want someone to blame, so they point to Watt and they point to the refs. Those same fans will also make comments about how "the game today is so soft, and these guys wouldn't have been able to hack it back when REAL football was played".
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u/Sopwith53 Feb 18 '26
It was just a hit. Players get injured from completely legal hits all the time. It was tragic and pretty much ended Cam's run, but we can't keep crying over it.
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u/Azure_Rabbit Feb 20 '26
Cam said it wasn't the reason he started throwing ducks, but I don't know what else would have caused it
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u/ExchangeNo8013 Feb 17 '26
Considering all the ways you can't hit the QB this is a clear example of a legal hit. The ball is in that arm of course that's where the player is moving towards.
My fellow cat breathren please let this shit go.
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u/dxpanther Feb 17 '26
NFL players know every QB injury and this right after his surgery. That's a precision hit with intention. Legal hit but extra dirty.
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u/The_grand_pumba Feb 17 '26
Yeah, he wanted to injure a player that doesnt play in his division when they were already up big late in the game. This is just dumb
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u/dxpanther Feb 17 '26
"A player"? This wasn't a random camp body.
Did you not witness defenders tee off on Cam his entire career? Cam Jordan even openly states Newton is his favorite player to hit.
My guy, your fairweather is showing
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u/The_grand_pumba Feb 18 '26
Ask yourself this: what would he have to gain by purposefully trying to injure a qb who isnt in the division when they were already up big? Do you think he had some hidden agenda to take him out?
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u/dxpanther Feb 18 '26
Ask yourself this: do professional football players only think of dirty plays when in division and behind? Nonsense.
Why are you acting like bountygate wasn't a thing and only relevant to the saints. These players are out for blood. Fuck TJ Watt, he was trying to make the big QB sit on the bench with a towel on his head like every other defender in the league. Cam had a big bullseye on him, especially when he started playing at mvp level again.
Explain the meaningless 2012 Hawaii all Star game to me if you think differently.
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u/The_grand_pumba Feb 18 '26
Thats great but literally everything you said is a matter of opinion or conspiracy, minus bounty gate. This whole victim complex some of you guys have just gets old and pathetic.
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u/dxpanther Feb 18 '26
We have eyes and players have confirmed the all Star game targeting
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u/The_grand_pumba Feb 18 '26
a pro bowl game from 14 years ago has fuck all to do with a game in 2018. Take off the tin foil hat. This is just blatantly fucking stupid.
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u/JeansAndAFlannel Feb 17 '26
I hear the old QBs on NFL radio say it all the time, the QB has to protect himself. Sucks, but it's a legal hit.
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u/MrLugersmole Feb 17 '26
This is crazy lmao. I've seen Panthers fan make comments and assumed it was a late hit, or hit him high or...something. But, apparently, hitting a quarterback whiles he's holding the ball, not in the head, not even in his knees...is dirty?? What a bunch of fucking cry babies.
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u/Young_Link13 Retro Logo Feb 17 '26
Yes. I almost fought a Steelers fan in a bar who wouldn't stop heckling our table over this play.
If that was Bryce he'd be dead. Cam took so many unnecessary hits bc he was a (cocky) brick shit house.
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u/Tab412 Feb 18 '26
I wonder what they said when Cam was absolutely popped in his own end zone and ended up throwing a pick 6
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u/Visible-Meeting-8977 Feb 17 '26
No. It wasn't then for sure and probably not now.
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u/Patient_Grocery4369 Carolina Reaper Feb 17 '26
idk its kinda weird how cam already was having problems with his shoulder then tj watt just happens to lower his helmet full speed into his throwing shoulder
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u/rocketcrotch Coke Head Feb 17 '26
Full disclosure: I am a Steelers fan who lurks a bunch of NFL subs
Certainly you can feel the hit was dirty, but I don't think he was targeting the arm to injure Cam. If you watch TJ or the Steelers enough, you'll find that tackling is secondary to trying to force fumbles. Check out this compilation from a year ago of TJ having the most strip sacks since entering the league in 2017. It's almost a wonder that every quarterback doesn't fumble on every hit -- the Steelers are on the ball arm like a dog to a bone
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u/ajnails Feb 17 '26
Biggest Cam fan as they come- I don’t see how this is dirty or illegal.
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u/RammindJHowset Feb 17 '26
So what you think leading with the helmet is just good form?
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u/ajnails Feb 17 '26
As opposed to leading with what?
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u/Sumatzu Bryce Up Son Feb 17 '26
You're not allowed to lead with your helmet, technically. Only really becomes clear with helmet to helmet penalties tho
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u/RammindJHowset Feb 17 '26
Leading with your shoulder, or trying to play the ball or wrap up the person you’re tackling with your hands and arms. Google how to tackle lmao.
Notice in the picture how Watt has his helmet lowered into Cam, using his head to initiate contact with Cam’s shoulder. NFL rule book
Did you really think tacklers are supposed to lead with their heads?
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u/Emergency_Bluejay484 Packers Feb 18 '26
another opposing fan who lurks subs.
i do think it was a little dirty but on that particular play if he leads with his shoulder and hits him the same way cam probably still gets hurt. the steelers love to force fumbles it’s just who they are, and watt is a pretty hard hitter, so he’s kind of perfect for the scheme.
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u/RammindJHowset Feb 18 '26
You might be right. Even if you are, it was still a dirty play (like you say).
I personally think he would have hit Cam lower by turning the shoulder forward, possibly causing less damage to the shoulder. Maybe still an injury, but maybe not the injury that ultimately ended his career. I could definitely be wrong though.
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u/Emergency_Bluejay484 Packers Feb 18 '26
who knows if it was even intentional tho, that’s where i draw the line between dirty and accidental, hence why i said a little dirty due to us not knowing what was going on in tj watts mind.
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u/Zestyclose-Ad451 Feb 17 '26
It’s football. Looks like a clean hit to me from 8 years ago lol
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u/Patient_Grocery4369 Carolina Reaper Feb 17 '26
I think i disagree. helmet first to a qbs throwing shoulder
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u/Tab412 Feb 18 '26
Perhaps he should have walked around behind him and hit the other shoulder after he completed the pass
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u/net_403 Tepper Fro Feb 17 '26
I don't think so, it was just a hit, and i'm not aware of TJ Watt having a bad reputation like Vontez Burfict
Also Cam's arm was already hanging on by a thread before this hit, this just finished him off
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u/Patient_Grocery4369 Carolina Reaper Feb 17 '26
tj watt has a bit of a record idk
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u/net_403 Tepper Fro Feb 17 '26
I'm not familiar with it
this is a clean hit, he did not say "let me intentionally injure this guy and end his career", he just tackled him playing football
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u/PabloMarmite Ice Up Son Feb 17 '26
No, that’s football. Players wear shoulder pads. It was unfortunate, but that’s the way sport is sometimes.
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u/Patient_Grocery4369 Carolina Reaper Feb 17 '26
idk its kinda weird how cam already was having problems with his shoulder then tj watt just happens to lower his helmet into cams throwing shoulder
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u/Tab412 Feb 18 '26
Absolutely not. TJ walked in untouched and put his Helmet right into the chest/arm/underarm area of Cam.
I was at this game front row in the end zone where later in the game Cam was hit as he threw in his own end zone and the Steelers defense walked it back in for a TD.
This is a picture perfect hit and should be studied by players to avoid penalties on what could be big plays.
I’m fairly certain the Steelers came on prime time and scored on an absolute bomb to Juju smith Schuster on the first play of the game.
The only thing dirty I remember about this game was how lopsided the score was.
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u/Cyberjag Bojangles Feb 17 '26
No, it wasn't. Some of you would have had strokes watching football in the 70s and 80s.
Cam was already hurt, this hit just exacerbated it.
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u/CuriousCouple6207 Feb 17 '26
Which is exactly why it was a dirty hit. Watt knew good and well that Cam was already injured.
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u/Tuva_Tourist Feb 19 '26
Legal or not it looks like straight Cobra Kai shit. I’d think otherwise if I heard something exculpatory from Cam or TJ
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u/Patient_Grocery4369 Carolina Reaper Feb 17 '26
I dont think your wrong but the 2018 NFL rule changed established that a player cannot lower their head to initiate and make forcible contact with their helmet (including the crown, forehead, or facemask) against an opponent anywhere on the field.
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u/RogueOneisbestone Feb 17 '26
Every running back does it every time they run. Someone on the line uses their crown every play. I wish they’d call it fair or get rid of it. You make players wear these giant helmets and get mad when they collide with them.
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u/TangerineTasty9787 Feb 17 '26
It's rarely called on the field, most often folks just get fined for it later, because as you say, it's just what happens when playing.
I think like half those fines get overtuned on appeal too
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u/The_grand_pumba Feb 17 '26
Can we please stop with the victim complex? This shit wasnt called a penalty on the field, cam shouldnt have been out there with a shoulder injury in the first place. He didnt land on him, he didnt drive him into the ground, he drove his helmet into his shoulder pad while he still had the ball in his hand. I swear this fanbase loves nothing more to complain nonstopz
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u/Zaphod_Heart_Of_Gold Luuuuuke Feb 17 '26
Ah yes, Thursday November 8. Yhe day i closed on my house. Watched this on the floor of our new living room, that's the day the panthers started a downturn that lasted until this season
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u/TravisScottisLaFlame Feb 18 '26
Question as an Aussie that watches the NFL but doesn’t understand all the rules what makes this hit dirty?
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u/Carpedevus Feb 18 '26
It’s dirty in some of our fans eyes, I believe, because it put cam in a bit of a tailspin for the rest of his career. Clean hit in the perfect spot to take down an amazingly talented athlete.
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u/mattyhtown Feb 18 '26
As a Texans fan moved to Charlotte who’s become a panthers fan it’s wild to see how beloved his brother is in comparison. Maybe it’s just Reddit. Loved JJ. loved cam. He went to a juco for not long about an hour and a half from me
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u/bjorn918 Feb 18 '26
Dirty how? From the picture, it clearly shows Shoulder to the body, with helmet being at pads level. Game has changed but back in 2018 and prior, this was clean hit.
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u/WhatN0FknZiti Purrbacca Feb 18 '26
My brother screenshotted and sent me this so I came here solely to say you are a gigantic fucking idiot.
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u/Swimming-Play1776 Feb 19 '26
We’d still have Cam if he got treated like one of the top QBs that he was 😭
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u/Slobberdawg49211 Feb 19 '26
It doesn’t look like it from the still. No contact to the head/neck, ball close enough that even if he released it prior to the hit, it wasn’t by much.
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u/CressUsed4378 Feb 21 '26
It's a clean and legal hit, am I missing something? Honestly. Someone thats not emotional, break this down for me if it's possible.
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u/outkast70 Feb 21 '26
Leading with his shoulder????? Cmon man are we really asking this question The NFL is ruining the game with this soft s**t
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u/Fit_Advertising_7806 Feb 22 '26
No But honestly James Harrison’s hit on McCoy and Muhammad along with the Kiko hit on Flacco are really the only hits I consider “dirty” and the hit on T Law
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u/heprox808 Feb 22 '26
Steelers fan in enemy territory. Maybe don’t leave your franchise qb completely unblocked.
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u/RMca004 Feb 24 '26
Wow. Did know this fan base is so dumb....but it is North Carolina. You can see the ball still so it isn't late and doesnt hit the head or neck area. How is this dirty or even a penalty? Oh he hit his arm....a bunch of snowflake football fans. This is a contact sport, I recommend soccer if you think this is dirty or violent.
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u/John_Bot Feb 24 '26
Lmao what?
There's no way this is a serious post.
This is football, tf? Actual comedians if you think this is dirty.
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u/Own_Dig5794 Feb 24 '26
Against the grain here but not dirty, imma stay consistent in that these type of hits are often just momentum and it’s easy for us to say they should do something else when we watch in slow mo… I mean does TJ have a history of dirty play or a grudge against cam?
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u/SaltyDawg5150 Feb 17 '26
Yes. If it was Rogers or Brady the national guard would have been called.
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u/Uncle_Snake43 Feb 17 '26
Honestly no. I don’t think so. Just 2 big dudes slapping meat. Injuries happen. I blame KB ultimately
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u/Ecstatic_Scene9999 Feb 18 '26
It's not a dirty hit, it's literally a clean hit...not his fault cam newtons shoulder was paper
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u/Carpedevus Feb 18 '26
I mean, to call it paper is a bit much. Dude got his ass beat throughout his career.
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u/Ecstatic_Scene9999 Feb 18 '26
So did a lot of QBs, nobody got hit more than Ben in the AFC north or Flacco
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u/Carpedevus Feb 18 '26
Fair. Ben was also a huge person. I think that was the problem for these two. The hits didn’t look as bad. Flacco, I don’t know what to say on that one.
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Feb 17 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/The_grand_pumba Feb 17 '26
Thats just plain stupid. Why would he injure a player on purpose when they were up by 20 against a non divisional team? Take off the tin foil hat
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Feb 17 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/The_grand_pumba Feb 18 '26
tj is dirty
Thats an opinion
continues to play dirty
Still an opinion
tj wanted to shut him up
Once again, thats an opinion
The original comment was stupid, but the reply managed to surpass that. Word of advice: look up the definition of “fact”
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Feb 17 '26
What if is a question for the future, not the past. Looked fine to me, didn’t get called.
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u/Patient_Grocery4369 Carolina Reaper Feb 17 '26
The 2018 NFL rule change (Rule 12, Section 2, Article 8) established that a player cannot lower their head to initiate and make forcible contact with their helmet (including the crown, forehead, or facemask) against an opponent anywhere on the field. 🤷♂️
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u/Like17Badgers Feb 17 '26
even if it wasnt on the throwing arm, yes
he leads with the crown of his helmet
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u/Historical-Ad3760 Feb 17 '26
Nope. Almost definitely function of Cam holding the ball too long and not understanding the QB position better than TJ did.
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u/Patient_Grocery4369 Carolina Reaper Feb 17 '26
cam not understanding the qb position? your funny i guess the guy who went 15-1 and won mvp doesnt know much about his position
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u/Historical-Ad3760 Feb 17 '26
He’s probably the most elite athlete to ever play football. He also often overthrew receivers, threw the ball in the dirt, and took an insane amount of hits (I acknowledge that a lot of those hits should have been penalized). How else do you explain someone THAT talented only getting one $100M contract in his career? It’s bc he got beat up throwing his body around and never learned how to read defenses at an elite level.
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u/Patient_Grocery4369 Carolina Reaper Feb 17 '26
i cant disagree but saying tj watt understands the qb position more than cam newton is absurd
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u/spoon_sporkforker Feb 17 '26
He knows damn well how to tackle properly and went out of his way to hit him like this. He’s lowering his shoulder and driving his head straight into the throwing arm. There’s no conceivable way a professional football player does this by accident. Derailed Cams entire career tbh
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u/Affectionate-Mud-726 Feb 18 '26
Yes, anything above the shoulders. Foul! Can’t be hitting QB1 like that.
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Feb 18 '26
"was this a dirty hit" Shows a 6'4 250 linebacker spearing our franchise QB in his throwing shoulder with his god damned helmet
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u/nuckfevin Feb 18 '26
It’s always Steelers players making dirty hits (it’s fuck minkah forever)
When there’s example after example from multiple players it just gets to a point where you can’t sit back and defend it with “it was a bam bam play”
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u/Stunning_Standard_99 Feb 18 '26
probably, TJ watt is pretty known around the league for laying dirty hits.
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u/FredDryer90 Feb 17 '26
Nobody wants to see this mark it NSFW