Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith suffered a concussion during the team’s win over the New Orleans Saints. The concussion occurred early in the fourth quarter when Smith caught a reception from quarterback Jalen Hurts and was hit helmet-to-helmet by Saints’ Malcolm Roach. The hit was so powerful that it knocked Smith’s helmet off, and after Smith was already down, Saints’ Payton Turner dove over him. Despite the dangerous hit, no penalty was called on the play.
Following the game, Eagles safety C.J. Garnder Johnson expressed his frustration with the hit on Smith, calling it the “dirtiest s—- I ever saw in football.” Gardner-Johnson, who previously played for the Saints before being traded to the Eagles, criticized his former team for their tactics. Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni did not provide an update on Smith’s condition after the game but spoke highly of his toughness. Smith walked off the field on his own after the injury.
Gardner-Johnson also took a shot at the Saints’ performance, calling them “pretenders” and dismissing their early-season success. The Eagles were already without top wide receiver A.J. Brown, who was sidelined with a hamstring injury for the past two games. Despite missing both Brown and Smith, the Eagles managed to secure the win against the Saints. Smith had a productive game before leaving with the concussion, recording seven receptions for 79 yards.
In Smith’s absence, Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert stepped up with an impressive performance, catching 10 passes for 170 yards to help lead Philadelphia to victory. The Eagles will need to adjust their offensive game plan moving forward if Smith is unable to return to play in upcoming games. The team will be monitoring Smith’s condition closely and hoping for a swift recovery from his concussion. The hit on Smith reignited discussions about player safety and the need for stronger enforcement of rules to protect players from dangerous hits.
