Vikings' Brian O'Neill: I wish I took a shot at Javon Bullard after his hit on Kyler Murray
Vikings offensive tackle Brian O'Neill expressed regret for not retaliating more aggressively after Packers safety Javon Bullard delivered a hit that caused a concussion to quarterback Kyler Murray. Bullard received a 15-yard penalty for the play, though O'Neill believes the punishment was insufficient.
Why it matters
The incident highlights ongoing debates regarding player safety, on-field discipline, and the physical nature of professional football.
Packers safety Javon Bullard got a 15-yard penalty for the hit that knocked Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray out of Sunday’s game. Vikings right tackle Brian O’Neill thinks Bullard should have gotten more than that.
O’Neill shoved Bullard after that hit, but after the game he said he wishes he had been more aggressive toward the opponent who just gave his quarterback a concussion.
“It was so bang, bang,” O’Neill said, via ESPN. “You don’t want to freak out if you’re wrong. I was probably wrong to not freak out more than that. So I kind of wish I took a shot at him .”
Bullard easily could have been ejected for the hit, and he’ll surely at least be fined by the NFL, if not suspended. But he escaped the Vikings dishing out any justice on the field, something that O’Neill regrets about Sunday’s game.
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