NBC analyst Chris Simms has sparked backlash after suggesting Dante Moore’s late slide contributed to the frightening hit that knocked the Oregon quarterback out of Saturday’s game against USC.
Moore was scrambling for a first down when USC linebacker Desman Stephens II hit him above the shoulders as he began to slide. Stephens was ejected for targeting, while Moore was taken from the field on a stretcher and transported by ambulance to hospital.
The incident had already caused controversy because Stephens was seen celebrating and high-fiving teammates while Moore was still being attended to by medical staff. Oregon later turned to Dylan Raiola, who helped the Ducks beat USC 41-27.
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty ImagesChris Simms’ Dante Moore comments draw immediate criticismSpeaking duringNBC’s halftime coverage, Simms described the injury as a “Debbie Downer moment” before explaining why he believed Moore had slid too late.
“It was a Debbie Downer moment,” Simms said.
He then argued that Stephens was placed in a difficult position because Moore was already running at speed before giving himself up.
“I guess you have to have a soft spot in your heart for defenders right now,” Simms said. “Dante Moore is 6’3, 240 pounds, he’s running at you. The defender Stephens is bracing himself, getting ready to get low to make the tackle. So, yes, you as a defender have to know in this day and age that you have to be careful with the quarterback. but I’m going to also say, Dante Moore I do think slid very late and put the defender in a kind of no-win situation.”
The comments quickly drew criticism online, with fans arguing that the targeting call and Moore’s decision to slide made the responsibility clearer. Yahoo Sports described the take as “awful”, while Sports Illustrated also reported criticism during halftime.
Simms did, however, criticise Stephens’ behaviour after the collision, saying his celebration was a “bad look for USC”. NBC’s Nicole Auerbach also suggested the Big Ten could review the incident under its sportsmanship policy.
Moore’s condition remains the bigger concern after the frightening collision, with Oregon yet to announce the full extent of his injury at the time of the reports.
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