CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Carolina Panthers defensive end Brian Burns isn’t buying Mac Jones’ explanation that the New England Patriots quarterback was trying to tackle and not injure him after a sack Sunday at Bank of America Stadium.
He all but put a target on the 15th pick of the 2021 draft when asked how he wanted the situation, being reviewed by the NFL for a possible fine, to turn out.
“It would be nice to have an apology, but it’s not going to happen,” Burns said Wednesday, the first time he has addressed the play. “However the NFL handles it, it’s on them. I would just like to play them again.
“I wish all my fellow D-end brothers happy hunting. That’s all.”
Jones was asked Wednesday whether he thought about reaching out to Burns to apologize.
“I already addressed that situation,” he said. “I’m just looking forward to playing in this game with the guys we have on our team this week. So we’re already kind of moving forward and ready to play this week.”
The play occurred near the end of the first quarter of Carolina’s 24-6 loss. After Burns took Jones down on a strip-sack, the quarterback grabbed Burns’ right ankle and held on as the end tried to escape.
With Burns down on the field holding his ankle and with Carolina linebacker Frankie Luvu recovering the fumble more than 10 yards away, Jones got up and walked away.
Jones said on Monday in his weekly interview on WEEI radio in Boston that he thought Burns had the ball and that “it’s my job to try to make the tackle.”
Carolina edge rusher Haason Reddick called the play “completely dirty” Sunday. Burns, after watching the replay and then studying it from every angle available, agreed.
“I thought it was some bull at first for him to grab my ankle in the first place,” Burns said. “After watching the video and … him just walking away, everything didn’t seem right about it. I’m down there in pain; he just looked at me and walked off like he did his job or some bull like that.
“After seeing that, that’s when I realized,…
Source : espn
