Earl Thomas delivered a hit on Sunday that left Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph unconscious for several moments, and the All-Pro defensive back seems genuinely shaken up by what happened.
Following the Baltimore Ravens’ overtime win over Pittsburgh, Thomas said he did not intentionally try to hit Rudolph high even though he made helmet-to-helmet contact. He added that he is “worried” about Rudolph and praying for him and his family.
Thomas on Rudolph hit: "I didn’t go high. I didn’t intentionally try to hurt him. I’m worried about him. I heard he’s at the hospital. My prayers go out to him and his family. I’ve never tried to hurt anybody. At the end of the day, guys have families."
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) October 6, 2019
Thomas was not flagged for the hit, but he will almost certainly be fined when the NFL reviews it. Even if he didn’t intentionally hit Rudolph in the head, it was clearly an illegal play.
Hope Mason Rudolph is OK after this hit.
— Jordan Dajani (@JordanDajani) October 6, 2019
Rudolph was able to walk off the field with some help, though that may have had more to do with the Steelers not having properly functioning equipment than it did with his physical state. He was diagnosed with a concussion and taken to the hospital, so hopefully he’s able to make a full recovery.
