Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Zimmer critical of hit on Teddy Bridgewater
Monday 9 November 2015 17:02, UK
Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Zimmer hinted he feels the late hit which concussed Teddy Bridgewater on Sunday may have been deliberate.
The quarterback was knocked out on the field in a collision with St Louis Rams defensive back Lamarcus Joiner and will now undergo NFL concussion protocols.
Zimmer did not directly accuse Joiner of hurting his player but dropped a very broad hint that the previous conduct of Rams defensive co-ordinator Gregg Williams may have been a factor in the incident.
Williams was suspended for almost a year by the NFL in 2012 for admitting his involvement in the so-called 'Bountygate' scandal.
When at the New Orleans Saints, Williams organised a fund which would reward players for hits which injured players, and specifically targeted Vikings quarterback Brett Favre in the 2010 NFC Championship game.
Zimmer said: "There is a history with their defensive co-ordinator. I'll leave it at that. We do things right and that's why we are the least penalised team in the league, because we play by the rules.
"We continue to play by the rules and just because other teams don't do it doesn't mean we will. I would say if we were all in the street we would probably all have a fight."
St Louis Rams head coach Jeff Fisher said: "I hope Teddy is okay.
"There was some feeling that Lamarcus did it on purpose but it's just one of those things that happens, he's not that type of player."
