Sunday’s matchup between the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers has sparked a coach’s feud, when Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride was critical of 49ers star defensive lineman Justin Smith. San Francisco’s head coach has responded to Gilbride’s statement, Mercury News reports.
“Kevin Gilbride’s outrageous, irrational statement regarding Justin Smith’s play is, first, an absurd analogy,” Harbaugh said in a statement released during practice. “Second, it is an incendiary comment targeting one of the truly exemplary players in this league.”
In a transcript provided by the Giants on Thursday, Gilbride stated, “Smith is a beast on the inside. He’s strong. He does as good a job of grabbing a hold of offensive linemen and allowing those twists to take place.” “He never gets called for it,” Gilbride continued, “so he gets away with murder.”
Justin Smith responded by saying, “I really don’t know what he’s talking about,” Smith added. “It doesn’t bother me. I’ll have to look him up and see who it is.”
