New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen addressed the media on Monday, expressing his disagreement with claims that defensive tackle Nathan Shepherd intentionally sought to injure Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert during their recent matchup.
The incident occurred when Shepherd and Chargers center Bradley Bozeman were penalized for unnecessary roughness. Shepherd appeared to twist Herbert’s right ankle after bringing him down following a pass to running back J.K. Dobbins. While Herbert was still upright, Shepherd, already on the ground, pulled at his ankle, causing Herbert to fall awkwardly.
Allen defended Shepherd’s actions, stating, “I think it’s not accurate. Here’s a guy that’s trying to wrap the quarterback up. He’s on the ground, he has no idea whether the quarterback has the ball or not. There was nothing malicious about that play. It’s a guy just trying to make a play.” He further mentioned reviewing the incident again and standing by his assertion that there was no intent to injure.
Bozeman, who intervened during the fray, shared his perspective, saying, “It was probably one of the dirtier plays I’ve ever seen. You protect your quarterback no matter what.” He added that any offensive lineman in his position would have acted similarly.
In response to criticism from former NFL analyst Emmanuel Acho, Shepherd’s teammate Khalen Saunders took to social media, arguing that Shepherd did not intend to harm Herbert. “If you actually watched the play, you’d see that he hit him right before Justin underhand flipped the ball,” Saunders stated.
After the game, Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh recognized Bozeman with a game ball. Herbert praised Bozeman’s efforts to protect him, saying, “He’s the type of center you want on your team… There’s no better feeling.”
This season has seen a second incident involving the Saints and accusations of unsportsmanlike conduct. Rookie defensive lineman Khristian Boyd was previously criticized for a hit on Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith that led to a concussion protocol and resulted in a fine for Boyd.
The Saints have been struggling, currently riding a six-game losing streak, and have not had starting quarterback Derek Carr for the last three games. Allen expressed optimism about Carr’s potential return to practice midweek. However, he also noted that wide receiver Bub Means faces time off due to a high ankle sprain, while cornerback Marshon Lattimore and running back Kendre Miller are dealing with hamstring injuries.