November 25, 2025 • 14 mins
Jennings Hits Moehrig After Monday Night Football Scuffle
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
We are starting this deep dive basically immediately after the
final whistle blue on Monday night football, Right, the San
Francisco forty nine Ers had just sealed a pretty dominant
twenty to nine win over the Carolina Panthers. And you know,
usually that's when the tension just kind of leaves the stadium,
but for two specific players, the drama was well, it
(00:23):
was just hitting its peak.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
It was a moment of just absolute, you know, targeted chaos.
This wasn't your typical postgame scrum where guys are like
bumping shoulders and talking some trash. Right, what we saw
here was a highly specific, very public act of retaliation.
And our mission today is to pull back all those layers.
We need to understand the trigger, the psychological breakdown that
(00:47):
led to it. And then, and this is the most
important part, we have to analyze the NFL's official disciplinary.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Precedent because that tells us exactly how this is all
going to be. Just exactly and what we saw, I mean,
just seconds after the game officially concluded, was forty nine
Ers wide receiver John Jennings making a bee line for
Panther safety Trevon Mowriggs straight for him. There was no
hesitation at all. He just delivered this quick, open handed
right cross. It looked almost like a slap or a
hard shove directly to Morigg's face mask. It was targeted, immediate,
(01:17):
and I mean it's the definition of settling a score.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
It is. And the initial visual is, well, it's jarring.
It makes Jennings look like the clear aggressor totally. But
you have to resist that first impression. The sources, they
make it absolutely clear Jennings's action was a delayed response.
It was a form of self administered justice for an
incident that happened moments.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
Earlier, right when the game clock was still running, when
the game was still live. Okay, so let's unpack that
trigger event, because it really is the root of everything
that happened after what happened during the game that led
to such a public eruption.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
It was what forty nine Ers coach Kyle Shanahan publicly
called a cheap shot, that cheap show. Yeah, late in
the fourth quarter, the television cameras caught Mowrig punching Jennings.
And he didn't, you know, punch him in the shoulder
or the chest. He delivered the punch right to Jennings's
groin area. I mean that is a deliberate, targeted act.
(02:12):
It's designed specifically to inflict pain and to get around
the game rules.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
A groinshot that changes the entire context. And what's fascinating
here is that Jennings didn't immediately turn around and swing back,
you know, in the heat of the moment.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
That's the crucial detail. That's what makes his postgame action
so intentional. He showed this remarkable almost i mean, superhuman
restraint while the game was actually happening.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
Instead of just retaliating on the spot exactly, he was
seen pleading with the officials.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
He's pointing, he's arguing, he's trying desperately to get a
penalty flag thrown on Morig. He tried to let the
system handle it.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
That they did.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
The officials ignored him, and so that the source of
his anger, it didn't just disappear, it was. It was
just banked until the moment the authorities couldn't intervene anymore.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
And Shanahan's reaction really gives you a sense of how
deeply the organization felt that slight. He called Morick's move
a cheap shot, and then he expressed specific pride that
Jennings was able to make it to the sideline without
and I quote losing his mind. That kind of public
endorsement from a head coach saying you're proud your player
didn't immediately swing. That tells you they viewed the foul
(03:23):
as truly egregious, like a violation of the unwritten code.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
It's an interesting public relations tightrope he's walking. Shanahan is
basically saying, my guy was fouled in like the diuty
is way possible, and he followed procedure. But by praising
that restraint, he's also implicitly acknowledging that the desire for
retaliation was completely understandable. He kind of sets the stage
(03:47):
to the inevitability of what happened after the game.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
So the forty nine ers felt they were victims of
a deliberate dirty play that just went unpunished.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
That's the narrative from their side, for sure.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
So let's look at that psychological leap Jennings made from
please with the officials to then delivering this public open
hand strike to the face mask. What was his motivation
when he crossed that field.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Well, Jennings was completely unapologetic and very direct he said
he was quote just responding to some childish behavior.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
Childish behavior.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
That's a great quote, it is because it shifts the framing. Yeah,
it's not an aggressive act in his mind, it's a
disciplinary one. Yeah, he wasn't trying to start a fight.
He was trying to put a period on the.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
Argument, correcting the disrespect.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Right, delivering a quick, memorable response.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
And once that hit landed, things did escalate pretty quickly,
but thankfully it didn't turn into a whole bench clearing brawl. No,
and the sources they highlight the importance of the people
who jumped in. We should probably acknowledge those quick actions,
specifically from Panther's linebacker christ Barnes and forty nine Ers
senior director of player engagement Austin Moss.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
The second Yeah, they rushed right in to separate them
before it could really spin out of control. The professionalism
the staff and the other players. It saved both organizations
a much bigger headache. Definitely. But we need to circle
back to Jennings's own analysis of why he was targeted
in the first place, because this connects everything to his reputation.
He suggested the punch was likely because of the way
(05:14):
he plays he said, and I'm quoting him here, I
play hard. I'm physically stronger than a lot of dbs
out there, and a lot of things happen in between
the whistles with me at least.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
So he's almost wearing that reputation as a badge of honor.
He's acknowledging that his physical style it just invites trouble
pretty much. And this isn't isolated behavior for him, is it.
We have some history here.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
We absolutely do. His physical aggressive style has gotten him
in hot water before. He was actually ejected from the
previous season's finale against the Arizona Cardinals. Oh right, yeah,
after getting two unnecessary roughness penalties. So when he talks
about being a strong, physical receiver who things just happen around,
he's confirming that his reputation for playing right on that
(06:00):
line or over it is well established.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
He is the perpetual instigator, at least in the eyes
of a lot of defensive backs.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
I think that's fair to say.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
And that leads us perfectly into the other side of
this story, because while Jennings and the forty nine ers
felt they were victims of a cheap shot, Mowrig and
the Panthers. They clearly saw in Jennings's continuous physicality as
the initial ongoing provocation.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
That's right, you have to give texture to the Panthers
resentment here. This wasn't just some random moment of frustration
for Morig. Right when he was asked about it, he
confirmed that he and really the entire Panthers defense took
exception to Jennings's blocking style. It wasn't just the physicality,
Mowrigg claimed, Jennings was just relentlessly pushing him in the
back and talking crazy the whole game.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
So in his mind, the low blow was sort of
the cumulative result of all this harassment.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
It was it was boiling overpoint. So we have this
really clear difference in perspective. Jennings thinks he was just
playing hard. Mowrigg felt he was being continued ly cheap
shotted by a physical receiver who just wouldn't let.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Up even when the play was away from him.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Exactly, and that highlights the brutal reality of what goes
on in the NFL trenches. Morigg admitted he was doing
some extra stuff after the play, and he did accept
accountability for the punch. He said, I'll take that one.
It wasn't just frustration, it was isolated.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
But then he was asked if his response, you know,
the low blow was actually.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Justified, and he gave that fascinatingly curse response. It is
what it is.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
That phrase, it is what it is is so telling
in sports. It's not an apology, but it's an acknowledgment.
It suggests he sees it as part of this like
violent professional code.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
For sure, you push me, you talk trash. So I
crossed the line. But in my world, that's just the
cost of doing business against a player like Jennings.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
And it elevates it beyond just a personal rivalry. Right.
It shows there was maybe a team wide feeling about Jennings.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
I think so, because we heard similar resentment from Panthers
cornerback Mike Jackson. He offered a very terse critiqu just
saying I ain't got nothing good to say about number fifteen. Yeah,
that confirms the Panthers felt Jennings was playing dirty all
night and Morigg's punch was the breaking point for the
team's collective frustration.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
So how did the Carolina leadership respond to this whole miss?
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Carolina's coach Dave Canallis gave a very measured response. He
was focused on gathering information on internal discipline. He acknowledged it,
said he needed to review the film and speak directly
to Mowrigg. And then he just said, I'll get to the.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
Bottom of that, which is the standard coaching response, right
control the narrative, handle it internally.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
And except that a fine is probably coming for your player.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
So now we have the full picture, the sustained physical provocation,
the cheap shot during the game that went unflagged, and
then the immediate postgame retaliation. The question now shifts entirely
to the league. Yes, what happens when this tape lands
on the desk of the NFL's vice president of football operations.
Mowrigg already admitted he'll most likely be fine for him
(09:00):
Jennings during the game.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
The fine for Mowrigg's action, that's almost guaranteed, sure, But
the potential for a suspension, which is a much more
serious disciplinary action that rests entirely on Jennings's postgame hit,
and the.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
Sources note both players could face suspension, but we have
a highly relevant, i'd say definitive, comparable case that really
focuses the disciplinary lens heavily on Jennings.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
We do. And this is where the deep dive gets
really analytical. We're talking about the the Brian Branch precedent.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
Which was highly publicized.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Absolutely, we cannot overstate how crucial the Branch case is
to understanding the outcome here. Earlier this season, Detroit Lions
safety Brian Branch was suspended one game right for striking
Kansas City chief receiver Juju smith Schuster after the game
had ended. Branch appealed, but the suspension was upheld. This
provides the definitive blueprint for how the NFL handles Jennings's specific.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Action, a physical strike after the final whistle, precisely. And
this is where it gets really interesting, because the league's
rationale for upholding that suspension gives us the exact legal
and disciplinary standard they're going to apply to Jennings. What
did the league say in that official letter to Branch?
Speaker 2 (10:12):
Okay, so, the letter, which was sent by John Runyon,
the NFL's VP of Football Ops, It laid out the
rationale in extremely strong terms, and this language is the key.
They described the act as an aggressive non football.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
Act non football act.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
They stated it was entirely unwarranted that it posed a
serious risk of injury, and that it clearly violated the
standards of conduct and sportsmanship expected of NFL players.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
Let's just dwell on that term aggressive non football act.
That is the pivotal distinction. Isn't it Mowriggs punch, however
dirty It was happened within the framework of a football game.
Jennings's hit happened when the competition was officially over.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
That is the hard line the league draws. Moriggs action
is misconduct during play that draws a heavy fine. Jennings's
action is misconduct after. Once that clock hits zero, the
league's primary concern shifts from managing competition to maintaining professional conduct.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
And player safety outside of the actual contact zones.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
Exactly, they want to ensure that once the whistle blows,
players can shake hands and walk off without fear of reprisal.
A postgame strike just fundamentally threatens that sense of security
and professionalism.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
So if the league uses the same logic they applied
to Branch, Jennings is squarely in suspension territory. The logic
prioritizes order and safety after the game above everything else.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Even above punishing the dirty play that triggered the whole
response wow, precisely if we use the Branch precedent. The
league decided that while the specific postgame strike might be
less immediately harmful than say, a helmet to helmet hit
during the game, the timing makes it more damaging to
the league's integrity.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Because it's an act of violence that's entirely removed from
the game context.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
It is. They are sending a very clear message, you
must walk away, regardless of how angry you are. You
cannot police yourself after the game is over.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
And what does this tell us about the hierarchy of
misconduct in the NFL. You have the aggressor murrig likely
facing a steep fine, and you have the retaliator, Jennings
potentially facing a one game suspension, which is a far
more impactful punishment.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
It illustrates a zero tolerance policy for actions that occur
in that post game environment. While the league can and
likely will find both players, the Branch case demonstrates that
the threshold for suspending a player for hitting someone after
the final whistle is very low and very firm.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
So Jennings took the risk of delayed retaliation.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
He did, and the consequence based on precedent, is likely
to be heavier than the consequence for the original low blow.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
So when we synthesize all of this, this deep dive
really shows us the intense pressure cooker that is the
line between aggressive physical play which Jennings embodies, and actions
that violate sportsmanship.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Whether that's Mowriigg's low blow during the game or Jennings's
immediate post game punch, the core dynamic is the league
prioritize order once the clock hits zero.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
Yeah, that hard line on postgame conduct is becoming a
major focus for discipline, regardless of the justification.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
It's a fascinating insight into how the NFL views the
difference between competitive fouling and professional misconduct, and that.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
Gives us our final takeaway for you the listener. The
league has established a firm precedent zero tolerance for physical
acts after the game has concluded. This suggests that the
postgame face mask hit by Jennings might actually carry a
heavier consequence both financially and for the roster than mowriggs
during game punch. And that's despite the fact that Mowrigg's
(13:38):
action was undeniably the initial dirty provocation.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
Which leaves us with a really important question for you
to consider as the league announces its discipline, Given the
specific language of the branch precedent, which player's action will
the NFL ultimately judge as the more severe breach of conduct.
Speaker 1 (13:54):
The retaliatory open hand strike after the game or the
cheap shot during the game.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
And what does that tell us about whether the lee
cares more about eliminating dirty play or just maintaining public
quarter once the whistle blows for good.
We are starting this deep dive basically immediately after the
final whistle blue on Monday night football, Right, the San
Francisco forty nine Ers had just sealed a pretty dominant
twenty to nine win over the Carolina Panthers. And you know,
usually that's when the tension just kind of leaves the stadium,
but for two specific players, the drama was well, it
(00:23):
was just hitting its peak.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
It was a moment of just absolute, you know, targeted chaos.
This wasn't your typical postgame scrum where guys are like
bumping shoulders and talking some trash. Right, what we saw
here was a highly specific, very public act of retaliation.
And our mission today is to pull back all those layers.
We need to understand the trigger, the psychological breakdown that
(00:47):
led to it. And then, and this is the most
important part, we have to analyze the NFL's official disciplinary.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Precedent because that tells us exactly how this is all
going to be. Just exactly and what we saw, I mean,
just seconds after the game officially concluded, was forty nine
Ers wide receiver John Jennings making a bee line for
Panther safety Trevon Mowriggs straight for him. There was no
hesitation at all. He just delivered this quick, open handed
right cross. It looked almost like a slap or a
hard shove directly to Morigg's face mask. It was targeted, immediate,
(01:17):
and I mean it's the definition of settling a score.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
It is. And the initial visual is, well, it's jarring.
It makes Jennings look like the clear aggressor totally. But
you have to resist that first impression. The sources, they
make it absolutely clear Jennings's action was a delayed response.
It was a form of self administered justice for an
incident that happened moments.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
Earlier, right when the game clock was still running, when
the game was still live. Okay, so let's unpack that
trigger event, because it really is the root of everything
that happened after what happened during the game that led
to such a public eruption.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
It was what forty nine Ers coach Kyle Shanahan publicly
called a cheap shot, that cheap show. Yeah, late in
the fourth quarter, the television cameras caught Mowrig punching Jennings.
And he didn't, you know, punch him in the shoulder
or the chest. He delivered the punch right to Jennings's
groin area. I mean that is a deliberate, targeted act.
(02:12):
It's designed specifically to inflict pain and to get around
the game rules.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
A groinshot that changes the entire context. And what's fascinating
here is that Jennings didn't immediately turn around and swing back,
you know, in the heat of the moment.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
That's the crucial detail. That's what makes his postgame action
so intentional. He showed this remarkable almost i mean, superhuman
restraint while the game was actually happening.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
Instead of just retaliating on the spot exactly, he was
seen pleading with the officials.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
He's pointing, he's arguing, he's trying desperately to get a
penalty flag thrown on Morig. He tried to let the
system handle it.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
That they did.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
The officials ignored him, and so that the source of
his anger, it didn't just disappear, it was. It was
just banked until the moment the authorities couldn't intervene anymore.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
And Shanahan's reaction really gives you a sense of how
deeply the organization felt that slight. He called Morick's move
a cheap shot, and then he expressed specific pride that
Jennings was able to make it to the sideline without
and I quote losing his mind. That kind of public
endorsement from a head coach saying you're proud your player
didn't immediately swing. That tells you they viewed the foul
(03:23):
as truly egregious, like a violation of the unwritten code.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
It's an interesting public relations tightrope he's walking. Shanahan is
basically saying, my guy was fouled in like the diuty
is way possible, and he followed procedure. But by praising
that restraint, he's also implicitly acknowledging that the desire for
retaliation was completely understandable. He kind of sets the stage
(03:47):
to the inevitability of what happened after the game.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
So the forty nine ers felt they were victims of
a deliberate dirty play that just went unpunished.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
That's the narrative from their side, for sure.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
So let's look at that psychological leap Jennings made from
please with the officials to then delivering this public open
hand strike to the face mask. What was his motivation
when he crossed that field.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Well, Jennings was completely unapologetic and very direct he said
he was quote just responding to some childish behavior.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
Childish behavior.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
That's a great quote, it is because it shifts the framing. Yeah,
it's not an aggressive act in his mind, it's a
disciplinary one. Yeah, he wasn't trying to start a fight.
He was trying to put a period on the.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
Argument, correcting the disrespect.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Right, delivering a quick, memorable response.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
And once that hit landed, things did escalate pretty quickly,
but thankfully it didn't turn into a whole bench clearing brawl. No,
and the sources they highlight the importance of the people
who jumped in. We should probably acknowledge those quick actions,
specifically from Panther's linebacker christ Barnes and forty nine Ers
senior director of player engagement Austin Moss.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
The second Yeah, they rushed right in to separate them
before it could really spin out of control. The professionalism
the staff and the other players. It saved both organizations
a much bigger headache. Definitely. But we need to circle
back to Jennings's own analysis of why he was targeted
in the first place, because this connects everything to his reputation.
He suggested the punch was likely because of the way
(05:14):
he plays he said, and I'm quoting him here, I
play hard. I'm physically stronger than a lot of dbs
out there, and a lot of things happen in between
the whistles with me at least.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
So he's almost wearing that reputation as a badge of honor.
He's acknowledging that his physical style it just invites trouble
pretty much. And this isn't isolated behavior for him, is it.
We have some history here.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
We absolutely do. His physical aggressive style has gotten him
in hot water before. He was actually ejected from the
previous season's finale against the Arizona Cardinals. Oh right, yeah,
after getting two unnecessary roughness penalties. So when he talks
about being a strong, physical receiver who things just happen around,
he's confirming that his reputation for playing right on that
(06:00):
line or over it is well established.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
He is the perpetual instigator, at least in the eyes
of a lot of defensive backs.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
I think that's fair to say.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
And that leads us perfectly into the other side of
this story, because while Jennings and the forty nine ers
felt they were victims of a cheap shot, Mowrig and
the Panthers. They clearly saw in Jennings's continuous physicality as
the initial ongoing provocation.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
That's right, you have to give texture to the Panthers
resentment here. This wasn't just some random moment of frustration
for Morig. Right when he was asked about it, he
confirmed that he and really the entire Panthers defense took
exception to Jennings's blocking style. It wasn't just the physicality,
Mowrigg claimed, Jennings was just relentlessly pushing him in the
back and talking crazy the whole game.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
So in his mind, the low blow was sort of
the cumulative result of all this harassment.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
It was it was boiling overpoint. So we have this
really clear difference in perspective. Jennings thinks he was just
playing hard. Mowrigg felt he was being continued ly cheap
shotted by a physical receiver who just wouldn't let.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Up even when the play was away from him.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Exactly, and that highlights the brutal reality of what goes
on in the NFL trenches. Morigg admitted he was doing
some extra stuff after the play, and he did accept
accountability for the punch. He said, I'll take that one.
It wasn't just frustration, it was isolated.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
But then he was asked if his response, you know,
the low blow was actually.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Justified, and he gave that fascinatingly curse response. It is
what it is.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
That phrase, it is what it is is so telling
in sports. It's not an apology, but it's an acknowledgment.
It suggests he sees it as part of this like
violent professional code.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
For sure, you push me, you talk trash. So I
crossed the line. But in my world, that's just the
cost of doing business against a player like Jennings.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
And it elevates it beyond just a personal rivalry. Right.
It shows there was maybe a team wide feeling about Jennings.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
I think so, because we heard similar resentment from Panthers
cornerback Mike Jackson. He offered a very terse critiqu just
saying I ain't got nothing good to say about number fifteen. Yeah,
that confirms the Panthers felt Jennings was playing dirty all
night and Morigg's punch was the breaking point for the
team's collective frustration.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
So how did the Carolina leadership respond to this whole miss?
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Carolina's coach Dave Canallis gave a very measured response. He
was focused on gathering information on internal discipline. He acknowledged it,
said he needed to review the film and speak directly
to Mowrigg. And then he just said, I'll get to the.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
Bottom of that, which is the standard coaching response, right
control the narrative, handle it internally.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
And except that a fine is probably coming for your player.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
So now we have the full picture, the sustained physical provocation,
the cheap shot during the game that went unflagged, and
then the immediate postgame retaliation. The question now shifts entirely
to the league. Yes, what happens when this tape lands
on the desk of the NFL's vice president of football operations.
Mowrigg already admitted he'll most likely be fine for him
(09:00):
Jennings during the game.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
The fine for Mowrigg's action, that's almost guaranteed, sure, But
the potential for a suspension, which is a much more
serious disciplinary action that rests entirely on Jennings's postgame hit,
and the.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
Sources note both players could face suspension, but we have
a highly relevant, i'd say definitive, comparable case that really
focuses the disciplinary lens heavily on Jennings.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
We do. And this is where the deep dive gets
really analytical. We're talking about the the Brian Branch precedent.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
Which was highly publicized.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Absolutely, we cannot overstate how crucial the Branch case is
to understanding the outcome here. Earlier this season, Detroit Lions
safety Brian Branch was suspended one game right for striking
Kansas City chief receiver Juju smith Schuster after the game
had ended. Branch appealed, but the suspension was upheld. This
provides the definitive blueprint for how the NFL handles Jennings's specific.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Action, a physical strike after the final whistle, precisely. And
this is where it gets really interesting, because the league's
rationale for upholding that suspension gives us the exact legal
and disciplinary standard they're going to apply to Jennings. What
did the league say in that official letter to Branch?
Speaker 2 (10:12):
Okay, so, the letter, which was sent by John Runyon,
the NFL's VP of Football Ops, It laid out the
rationale in extremely strong terms, and this language is the key.
They described the act as an aggressive non football.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
Act non football act.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
They stated it was entirely unwarranted that it posed a
serious risk of injury, and that it clearly violated the
standards of conduct and sportsmanship expected of NFL players.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
Let's just dwell on that term aggressive non football act.
That is the pivotal distinction. Isn't it Mowriggs punch, however
dirty It was happened within the framework of a football game.
Jennings's hit happened when the competition was officially over.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
That is the hard line the league draws. Moriggs action
is misconduct during play that draws a heavy fine. Jennings's
action is misconduct after. Once that clock hits zero, the
league's primary concern shifts from managing competition to maintaining professional conduct.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
And player safety outside of the actual contact zones.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
Exactly, they want to ensure that once the whistle blows,
players can shake hands and walk off without fear of reprisal.
A postgame strike just fundamentally threatens that sense of security
and professionalism.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
So if the league uses the same logic they applied
to Branch, Jennings is squarely in suspension territory. The logic
prioritizes order and safety after the game above everything else.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Even above punishing the dirty play that triggered the whole
response wow, precisely if we use the Branch precedent. The
league decided that while the specific postgame strike might be
less immediately harmful than say, a helmet to helmet hit
during the game, the timing makes it more damaging to
the league's integrity.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Because it's an act of violence that's entirely removed from
the game context.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
It is. They are sending a very clear message, you
must walk away, regardless of how angry you are. You
cannot police yourself after the game is over.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
And what does this tell us about the hierarchy of
misconduct in the NFL. You have the aggressor murrig likely
facing a steep fine, and you have the retaliator, Jennings
potentially facing a one game suspension, which is a far
more impactful punishment.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
It illustrates a zero tolerance policy for actions that occur
in that post game environment. While the league can and
likely will find both players, the Branch case demonstrates that
the threshold for suspending a player for hitting someone after
the final whistle is very low and very firm.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
So Jennings took the risk of delayed retaliation.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
He did, and the consequence based on precedent, is likely
to be heavier than the consequence for the original low blow.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
So when we synthesize all of this, this deep dive
really shows us the intense pressure cooker that is the
line between aggressive physical play which Jennings embodies, and actions
that violate sportsmanship.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Whether that's Mowriigg's low blow during the game or Jennings's
immediate post game punch, the core dynamic is the league
prioritize order once the clock hits zero.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
Yeah, that hard line on postgame conduct is becoming a
major focus for discipline, regardless of the justification.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
It's a fascinating insight into how the NFL views the
difference between competitive fouling and professional misconduct, and that.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
Gives us our final takeaway for you the listener. The
league has established a firm precedent zero tolerance for physical
acts after the game has concluded. This suggests that the
postgame face mask hit by Jennings might actually carry a
heavier consequence both financially and for the roster than mowriggs
during game punch. And that's despite the fact that Mowrigg's
(13:38):
action was undeniably the initial dirty provocation.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
Which leaves us with a really important question for you
to consider as the league announces its discipline, Given the
specific language of the branch precedent, which player's action will
the NFL ultimately judge as the more severe breach of conduct.
Speaker 1 (13:54):
The retaliatory open hand strike after the game or the
cheap shot during the game.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
And what does that tell us about whether the lee
cares more about eliminating dirty play or just maintaining public
quarter once the whistle blows for good.
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