Carolina Panthers special-teams player Dante Wesley delivered a nasty hit on Tamba Bay Buccaneers Clifton Smith on Sunday, bringing players from both teams onto the field.
The hit knocked Smith unconscious for nearly a minute, and resulted in West being ejected from the game.
I was just trying to make a play,” Wesley told reporters after the game. “You can check my record. …. I’ve never really tried to hurt anybody. I’ve never tried to take a cheap shot on anybody.”
Despite Wesley’s claims, the video replay clearly shows unnecessary roughness as he drives his left shoulder and elbow into Smith’s upper body.
The hit came late in the second quarter, and Smith never returned to the game. The Panthers went on to defeat the Bucs 28-21.
Watch Dante Wesley hit on Clifton Smith in the video clip below: