Michael Crabtree may have just incited a major hot-button issue with his recent admission. In an ESPN report, the San Francisco 49ers receiver said that he was temporarily unable to see after taking a big hit near the goal line.
In the waning moments of Super Bowl XLVII, 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick targeted his favorite receiver in three consecutive downs in the red zone in an attempt to pull-off the comeback of the century.
The hit in question took place on the teams third down play, when Ravens CB Jimmy Smith delivered a vicious blow to Crabtree’s face that caused an incompletion. 49ers fans in attendance clamored for a penalty flag to be thrown on what was a blatant helmet-to-helmet collision, but the referees decided the hit was clean.
In his interview with NFL network, Crabtree clearly recanted the moments from his on-field experience.
“When the guy hit me, he hit me all in the face,” Crabtree told NFL Network. “I’m not one to whine about nothing, but he hit me all in the face and I couldn’t really see after he hit me.”
In perhaps a test to discover if the results were concussion-based, Crabtree was again asked to repeat his recollection of the events. “It’s not concussion-like. When you get hit in football, it’s going to feel like you can’t see. It’s going to feel intense. But it snapped back. It happens all the time in football.”
After a number of rules changes were adopted in this year’s NFL owner’s meetings, this news has got to be concerning to Commissioner Roger Goodell and the rest of the league’s offices. What is even more concerning is that not once did Crabtree seek medical attention for his temporary ailment. There was no specific mention as to whether or not this affected Crabtree’s play on fourth down.
With player safety being the chief concern this off-season, this incident may have slipped through the cracks. In all honesty, Crabtree probably tried to remain on the field to compete for a chance at the Lombardi Trophy. However, he violated a major rule and the team may have dropped the ball in protecting their star-wideout. League policy mandates that any players who exhibit head-related injuries are to be put through an on-field concussion test.
After these reports have surfaced, it should be fully expected for Goodell and other league officials to question both the San Francisco 49ers organization and Crabtree on the events that transpired in New Orleans. There might be a small punishment for the lack of initiative by the training staff, but more than likely this will be a teaching moment for the NFL Commish.
