Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest on Monday night during his team’s match-up against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The game was initially postponed over the incident, before getting canceled altogether.
A number of prominent sports personalities spoke out on the issue – some in classier ways than others. Skip Bayless, in particular, took such a tone-deaf approach that there are now rumors circulating that his co-host Shannon Sharpe may be done with their show together.
That said, Bayless wasn’t alone in angering fans.
On Tuesday, NFL commentator Bart Scott drew the ire of NFL fans around the country with his analysis of the Hamlin situation.
Specifically, some folks really hated the way Scott tried to reference Tee Higgins of the Bengals for his role in Hamlin’s cardiac arrest occurring.
Here’s the clip for everyone asking: Bart Scott straight up accusing Tee Higgins of lowering his helmet into the chest of Damar Hamlin. It was not close to a dirty play. Freak accident. pic.twitter.com/uyDwwOEgpi
— Faux Joey Brrr (@FauxJeaux) January 3, 2023
That said, not everyone felt as though Scott had done something wrong. A lot of fans were divided.
The responses to Scott’s video are evidence enough of the polarization as it pertains to his comments:
He says “I’m not trying to blame Tee Higgins” but it’s so short that it’s missed and the focus is all seems to show the opposite but at least show the extended version so people can hear this for Tee’s sakehttps://t.co/7Y4YjoBrUY
— Bell/DJ Reader/Wilson/Pratt, Irwin/Tee/TB/Uno (@bengals_fandom) January 3, 2023
I don’t hear him blame Higgins. Just breaks down the play . He never said Higgins was dirty or did something wrong. People are much to sensitive.
— john davidson (@UncleJohn1) January 3, 2023
he clearly didn’t even watch the play considering Tee lowered his shoulder and not his helmet
— Maanas Pisati (@maanaspisati) January 3, 2023
Get this man off the air now! He is bad for the game he told ravens players to go for burrows knees last year. No respect for him.
— HunnitLocks (@HunnitLocks) January 3, 2023
As noted, some handled this situation better than others.
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, for example, is receiving universal praise for his classy move after the incident occurred.
An Ohio State staffer made an interesting Ryan Day confession before the Georgia game. https://t.co/fljCuKONVf
— Game 7 (@game7__) December 31, 2022
Scott is getting the opposite response.
Will either he or ESPN comment on the backlash at some point in the foreseeable future?
An answer should emerge one way or the other in the next few days.
Related: LSU Football Accused Of Partaking In Wild Party Amid Purdue Win
A graduate from the University of Texas, Anthony Amador has been credentialed to cover the Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and high school games all over the Lone Star State. Currently, his primary beats are the NBA, MLB, NFL and UFC.
