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Nolan Carroll expected to be tackled, but not by a member of the coaching staff.
As the Miami Dolphins special teams player bolted down the sideline during a punt return Sunday, the rogue knee of Jets strength coach Sal Alosi interrupted his run. Carroll writhed on the ground after the unexpected takedown, while CBS commentators immediately analyzed the footage and condemned the blatant trip. The Dolphins player was luckily uninjured following the tumble in the third quarter of Miami’s 10-6 victory over the Jets.
(More on TIME.com: See a video of what football injuries can do to a player’s brain.)
Since it wasn’t immediately clear who the staffer was, Alosi tried to disguise himself, reportedly switching hats after sending Carroll head over heels. Once the teams investigated the situation and tagged Alosi as the tripper, the Gang Green staffer was escorted out of the stadium.
An apology came late last night, but only after Alosi was vilified for his actions. “I made a mistake that showed a total lapse in judgment … My conduct was inexcusable and unsportsmanlike and does not reflect what this organization stands for,” Alosi wrote in a statement.
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Thankfully, unlike other hot-headed football players of late, Carroll kept his cool over the whole situation. “That’s nothing I can control, you know?” he said. “It’s water off a duck’s back, man. We won, man. That’s what’s important.”
And surely Jets QB Mark Sanchez is pleased that the focus was off of his pitiful performance in this morning’s headlines. (via Star-Ledger)