ARIZONA Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon clashed with running back Emari Demercado after a calamitous Week 5 error.
The shocking incident occurred late in the Cardinals 22-21 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
Arizona Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon tore into running back Emari Demercado on Sunday[/caption]
The Cardinals coach was fuming after Demercado fumbled on the goal line[/caption]
Demercado looked to have broken free for a 72-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter at State Farm Stadium.
The score would have put the Cardinals up 28-6 after a dominant performance.
But Demercado celebrated too early, fumbling the ball on the one-yard line and into the endzone for a touchback.
The error would lead to a rejuvenated Titans storming back, hitting 16 unanswered points to steal their first win of the season.
In footage circulated on social media, Gannon is seen engaging in a heated discussion with his running back on the sideline.
The coach roared in Demercado’s face as the rusher was consoled by offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr.
As Gannon goes to walk away, he appeared to strike Demercado hard in the shoulder pads.
“I’d have to hear what he said to him before I can judge. It’s not impossible he was trying to encourage him,” wrote one fan on X.
“It was a very firm and anger slap of the chest guard. This is not the same as “hitting” a player and is totally acceptable,” argued a second.
“It was a slap to his pads. If he hit him in the face, I would be with team soft, but this is a passionate moment over a terribly dumb mistake,” countered a third.
“Can you image the blowback if a players did that to a coach after a coach mismanages the clock to lose the game?” gasped a fourth.
Following the embarrassing loss, Demercado fronted up to the cameras.
“I mean, it’s just a mistake,” he said.
“There’s really no excuse. Just got to be smarter, as simple as that.”
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The loss leaves the 2-3 Cardinals bottom of the NFC West.
And quarterback Kyler Murray could barely believe the “boneheaded” mistakes that led to the last-second defeat.
“That’s ‘How to Lose a Game 101.’ I don’t know. It was crazy,” Murray said.
“That was bad. That was bad. Bad. All around, it was bad.
“I just think if you look at the mistakes, I think we played well enough to win the game.
“But crucial, bonehead mistakes just gave them a chance to stay in the game.
“I think they were literally a play away from quitting, but we left them, and we kept them in the game.”
Demercado admitted his mistake following the embarrassing loss[/caption]
