Poe the Raven
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- Mar 16, 2019
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The Ravens posted a video of Sunday’s scuffle between cornerback Marlon Humphrey and Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham in order to refute Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens’s allegation that Humphrey choked Beckham during the kerfuffle.
While the video doesn’t show Humphrey use a chokehold, it does show his fist on Beckham’s throat after the two players wound up on the ground. The accompanying article on the team’s website says Humphrey “did what he’s coached to do” and that defense didn’t find supporters inside the Browns locker room.
Right tackle Chris Hubbard said it was “kind of messed up” and left guard Joel Bitonio said he thought the Ravens were drawing an insignificant distinction.
“His hands were on his throat,” Bitonio said, via Ohio.com. “You know what I mean? I don’t know if you want to say he was in the act of choking or not, but his hands were on his throat. . . . But you know they’re trying to cover it up. They’re trying to make their player look at good as possible. But I mean the guy was on top of him on the ground with his hands around his neck. Something was happening. Even if you weren’t choking him, that’s not a football act right there. So something was going on that was inappropriate.”
Kitchens responded to a question about the video by asking if the reporter had seen it. After getting an affirmative response, Kitchens gave his answer.
“OK. That’s my response,” Kitchens said. “We’re moving on to San Francisco. Everybody saw the video. So that answers your question, right?”
This seems like a case where everyone will have to agree to disagree and move on with their lives. At least, they’ll move on until the incident comes up ahead of the AFC North teams’ second meeting of the year in Week 16.