Willis McGahee Leaves Field on Stretcher After Hit by Ryan Clark

Update: Video of the hit

Willis McGahee is still on the ground as I'm writing this, and that's because, after catching a ball across the middle with about three-and-a-half minutes to go in the AFC Championship game, Ryan Clark absolutely tattooed him with a helmet-to-helmet hit that has Willis still laying on the ground.

There's somber discussion in the booth and on the field about Willis' ability to actually move (Jim Nance says he saw movement of the legs and his right arm, but I'm not entirely sure about that) and the end result has been that Willis was loaded on a stretcher and removed from the field of play.

There's going to be plenty of debate about the nature of Clark's hit on McGahee in the coming days as well; FanHouse's resident ref expert Matt Snyder pointed out that, "Sometimes helmets are going to hit each other. The penalty is for purposely leading with your helmet and using it like a weapon."

That's a fair point, however, I'm of the opinion that Clark did lead with his helmet and that the hit probably should have been flagged.

There's some good news and bad news coming from the booth: Nance says that the Ravens are informing CBS that McGahee is speaking to the medical crew but that he's suffering "significant neck pain."

Hopefully none of the diagnostics performed on McGahee have a negative (read: bad) result, but this is, unfortunately, a perfect example of why the NFL has been cracking down on using helmets as a weapon on the field of play.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

1-18-2009 @ 10:27PM

walkermonk said...

I'd feel worse if the Ravens hadn't deliberately hurt Chris Johnson last week. What comes around...

1-18-2009 @ 10:31PM

Tony said...

I thought the exact same thing as I saw it- the first thing I yelled was 'KARMA!'

1-18-2009 @ 10:33PM

Gator said...

Come on Will who made you the judge and jury? I saw the hit and I am completely unbiased in my acessement of the play. Clark did not lead with the helmet it just happened that McGahee's head was leading his bodyjust enough that the helmets came together in the massive collision of the two. The problem was the speed at which the two came together which snapped McGahee's neck violently. Clark in no way meant any harm other than to make the tackle. I feel you fanhouse writers jump to conclusions where you should just report the facts instead of making judgements.

1-19-2009 @ 12:24AM

Andrew said...

i think you're right. but if people writing these articles didn't jump and take a slanted point of view, they wouldn't get as many responses = job security.

1-18-2009 @ 10:36PM

Richard said...

Jeepers, get your facts straight. It was a perfectly legitiment hit. Not helment to helment as the broadcast crew clearly demonstrated. You slander a player when you make an assumption like that.

That Steve Kid said...

If it had been a questionable hit, there would have been more anger on the Ravens bench. Nobody was pointing fingers or blaming anyone, which says it was a good clean hit. People get hurt playing football and, although it sucks, it's still part of the game. To make rules about every way a guy could get hurt would be like making a rule to keep boxers from getting hurt. It just can't be done.

That said, nobody wants anyone to get hurt. I don't think there was a single sigh of relief in the stadium until someone heard semi-good news about McGahee. Our prayers are all with him, and we all hope he's at 100% for next season.

1-18-2009 @ 11:30PM

xjennyxlynn said...

I agree, but even if the Ravens team DID think it was a bad call, I'm pretty sure their first priority would've been McGahee. Nobody points fingers when you have two players laying motionless on the field after not even ATTEMPTING to recover their own fumble. But I do agree with you.

1-18-2009 @ 10:48PM

checka624 said...

Yeah, you're a dumbass, that hit was legit, Mcgahee lowered his shoulder and helmet and Clark was just trying to get lower. Clark never intentionally led with his helmet. I can tell you ran to your computer as this happend to write this little piece but you are WRONG. This is football sally, not baseball. This shit is going to happen, and it's not always someones fault. During a game where you have contact such as football, you will come across injuries but to say he meant to lead with his helmet and used it as a weapon is horse shit, and yea, what about when they were trying to bend Chris Johnson backwards and trying to break his back? Im not a Titans fan either.

1-18-2009 @ 10:49PM

Ian said...

video of the hit:

http://soxanddawgs.com/2009/01/18/ryan-clark-hit-on-willis-mcgahee/

1-18-2009 @ 10:50PM

Oh yeah, and the tackle on Hines Ward -- like that wasn't designed to hurt him. Give me a break on the dirty hit, helmet-to-helmet whining, writer boys. McGahee lowered his head, for some unknown reason, right when Clark hit him. It was an accident. Totally unlike, as detailed above, the premeditated hits by the Ravens.

1-18-2009 @ 10:52PM

earnharddawg said...

did this writer actually watch this hit,nothing wrong with it.he lead with his shoulder,first contact was with the right shoulder.it is football and people do get hurt. i had my back broke at 16 on a perfectly legal hit, it happens

1-18-2009 @ 10:56PM

Ryan said...

if they were cracking down on players hitting with their helmets, brian dawkins would have been kicked out of the league by now

1-18-2009 @ 11:08PM

dinohealth said...

Yup, the NFL has been really cracking down on these type of hits....lol....another inglorious non-call in two mediocre title games....

1-18-2009 @ 11:13PM

Dan said...

The hit seems legal, but it's one that I've never understood. As a former defensive lineman, I just don't get the need or desire of defensive backs to throw themselves at the offensive player.

I always practiced driving through the player's waist or chest and taking him with me, but the average DB or safety thinks "I better put my head in his way, that'll stop him." Can this be any easier than a real open field tackle? Is it more effective at creating turnovers than throwing their arms in there?

It obviously didn't feel good for Ryan Clark, so unless anyone has a good explanation, this seems like dumb football masquerading as tough.

1-18-2009 @ 11:19PM

jljinmich said...

"Helmet to helmet"? You've got to be kidding me. I just love it when armchair quarterbacks and wanna-be refs make comments that truly show their ignorance. Every re-play, and review, from several angles, as well as every announcer, confirmed that it was a SHOULDER hit. While I feel for McGahee, or any player that is hurt, it was not a cheap shot as was indicated. You didn't see any Ravens, not even Killer Lewis, protesting the hit.

1-19-2009 @ 12:41AM

mtreeher said...

I don't suppose anyone saw the tackle on Willie Parker when the defensive player hit Parker right in the face mask with his helmet and knocked him backwards. There is going to be incidental helmet contact when you are rushing at a speeding player going the other way and you try to tackle them and they try to get lower than you to stay on their feet.

1-19-2009 @ 1:31AM

yunggunz134 said...

Clean hit that went wrong. If you love football then this is what you expect to see. Two great teams smacking the crap out of each other. Players know theres always the chance of getting waxed. People watch two guys beat the hell out of each other in a steel cage but God forbid someone gets hurt by accident. It's football, if you don't like seeing people getting hit watch ice skating for the love of God. Get better Willis and Go Steelers!!!

1-19-2009 @ 12:04PM

paigechewmo said...

I am not of fan of either of these teams so I really do not feel any bias in this. Clark started with his helmet but began to turn just before the hit for more shoulder. It was McGahee who put his helmet down and drove it into Clark. All running backs do this and for the defensive guy who is tackling this leaves the head to be hit or the legs/knees. Either way they get grief for trying to take the player out.
It was a legal hit and these things happen in football.