Ed Reed isn’t a fan of the hard hits from Vontaze Burfict over the years and showed little sympathy for the suspended Raiders linebacker this week talking to TMZ.
“After all the years… dude actually needs to be evaluated,” Reed said of Burfict to TMZ Sports. “I think he needs to be evaluated for playing like that… He put himself in that situation after all the years and everything he’s done.”
Ironically, Reed was fined $126,000 in 2013 alone for illegal hits and his idea of NFL punishment seemed to be a little different at the time.
“There’s so much that needs to be done, but they’d rather police certain things,” Reed told the Baltimore Sun in 2013. “You tend to miss things when you’re making a certain amount of money, and not playing the game, you’re missing out. You’re just somebody upstairs wearing a suit, fining people and stuff like that for the wrong things. We’re policing the wrong things, for real. I really don’t know what to say about our commissioner, honestly. It’s probably more him and his staff who came up with the things we are being fined for.”
Additionally, Reed was on The Rich Eisen Show this week and talked about concussions and CTE. He said he believes players should have an understanding that those are the consequences of playing football.
Dov Kleiman on Twitter
Listen: Ed Reed went on the @richeisen show and talked about how the newer rules that protect players are hurting the sport and hurting the defensive players on the field and off. https://t.co/EFU78ug7S2
These comments from Reed make sense. As long as football stays a contact sport being played by players that are getting bigger, faster, and stronger every year, injuries (even ones to the head) will be difficult to avoid. By all means fine the players making illegal hits, but it still seems a little strange to hear a player like Reed call out anyone for applying dangerous hits.
twitter: @raidersbeat
Hey Mr. Ed,mind your own business!