BEREA: The Browns aren’t going to add Tennessee Titans running back Antonio Andrews to their Christmas card list anytime soon.
Andrews’ decision to post a video on Instagram of his devastating hit that put Browns safety Jordan Poyer in the hospital Sunday with a lacerated kidney isn’t sitting well in Cleveland’s locker room.
“I love Poyer like a brother, and that really angered me,” wide receiver Terrelle Pryor said Wednesday as the Browns (0-6) prepared for Sunday’s road game against the Cincinnati Bengals (2-4). “That was bullcrap.”
Coach Hue Jackson called Andrews’ post “disappointing.”
“I think there’s a code among players in the National Football League,” Jackson said. “I mean [Poyer] suffered a serious injury, so I don’t think that’s something to celebrate. I would hope that [Andrews] reaches out to Jordan and maybe even explains why it even went that far. I really think Jordan took that kind of personally.”
Pryor believes Andrews was boasting about the hit.
“It kind of angered me because to hit a guy blindside, it’s not [an accomplishment]. If you’re going head up with a man face to face and he sees you, you see him, all right, cool,” Pryor said. “But if you’re a special teams guy and you’re popping that stuff on there like you’re some type of superhero or something just because you’re hitting a guy blindsided and you think that’s cool, that’s where the problem comes in.
“So I think he should stay to his special teams and what he does and don’t post stuff when a man’s not looking and taking a hit like that.”
Pryor said he’s not upset about the hit, but he’s furious about Andrews posting the video and including the word “relentless” in a caption. Andrews has since locked his Instagram account.
“We put ourselves in that situation by signing the contract to play here, but the only thing that I didn’t like was when the guy posted about it bragging [he was] ‘relentless,’ ” Pryor said. “What is relentless about that — hitting a guy, another man, when he’s not looking?”
Not only did Andrews post the video, but he also doubled down after Poyer called him out for it Tuesday via Twitter.
“Buddy posted the hit to his Social Media page?” Poyer wrote.
“Wow.
“Not complaining about the hit... its football.. stuff happens... but dam.. idk [I don’t know] why but thats wild to me.. good for him tho.”
Andrews fired back by tweeting to Poyer, “Ha this [is a] contact sport get well soon tho kid.”
Andrews later defended his decision to post the video on social media.
“Man these cats all in they feelings,” Andrews tweeted. “Its not gloating its just a simple post. Idc [I don’t care] either way. i’m gonna get paid and get my 8 hrs of sleep.”
Andrews also called the hit “legal and clean” in another tweet.
When Andrews spoke to reporters who cover the Titans on Wednesday, he said he was sorry Poyer was injured but he wasn’t sorry about posting the video.
“Sorry about what happened to him, what happened to his kidney and everything, but good hit, good play,” said Andrews, adding he exchanged direct messages with Poyer but declined to elaborate. “All the fans take what they want from it.
“Sorry for what happened to him. Sorry for how the fans and everybody took it way out of proportion.”
Titans coach Mike Mularkey said he spoke to Andrews about posting the video.
“He just needs to let his play speak for himself, and stay off of social media and things like that,” Mularkey said. “That doesn’t do anybody any good, especially when a player is injured.”
As Poyer ran down the field on punt coverage Sunday in a 28-26 loss to the Titans, Andrews blasted him in the midsection, chest and face mask. Andrews was penalized for an illegal blindside block. He told Tennessee reporters he hasn’t been fined yet.
Poyer writhed on the ground and remained there for several minutes after absorbing the hit with 6:33 left in the second quarter. He was taken to St. Thomas Midtown Hospital in Nashville, Tenn., before halftime. He spent two nights there and was discharged Tuesday, shortly after the Browns placed him on injured reserve. He’ll likely miss the rest of this season. He was back at team headquarters Wednesday, when Jackson said he greeted the player with “a big, old hug.”
Nine-time Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Thomas thought Andrews went overboard by posting the video.
“I think there should be some sensitivity involved with that type of a thing,” Thomas said. “And you’ve got to be careful with what you’re promoting because obviously when you’re promoting a play that was a penalty and that got somebody hurt, maybe that’s not the right thing that you want to promote for your own brand.”
Thomas also pointed out the NFL can be hypocritical when it stresses the importance of player safety but promotes brutal hits.
“That’s one thing that I’d like to see the NFL do is not use highlights of plays that were penalties,” Thomas said.
Thomas referenced a vicious hit Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison delivered to former Browns wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi in 2010. Massaquoi suffered a concussion as a result of the blow. The hit didn’t draw a penalty, but Harrison was fined $75,000 by the NFL.
“They were using that as like the cover photo of something they were trying to sell,” Thomas said. “So I think it’s a double standard that I’d like to see the NFL look at a little bit, and if they’re going to try to legislate something out of the game, they shouldn’t also try to promote it from a marketing standpoint.”
Wide receiver Andrew Hawkins said he wasn’t aware Andrews posted the video of his hit on Poyer, but he has seen other players post videos of hits that have hurt opponents in the past.
Asked if that’s crossing the line, Hawkins said, “It’s a violent sport. It’s what we’re taught. It’s what we make our money doing. I’ve obviously been hit illegally very hard, and it’s just kind of the game we sign up for.”
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Browns blog at www.ohio.com/browns. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/NateUlrichABJ and on Facebook www.facebook.com/abj.sports.