Viral Clip of Youth Football Player Violently Tackling Teammate Sparks Outrage: The Coaches ‘Should Be Put in Jail. Immediately.’

Social media has been almost unanimously appalled this week after watching the clip of a violent collision between two youth football players.

Anyone signing up to play football recognizes it’s a contact sport. But just as professional players can finally demand safety measures are implemented by the NFL, parents should be able to trust youth coaches will prioritize the health of their children. And in the below clip, that clearly wasn’t the case.

Are they too young to be doing this drill? pic.twitter.com/lA8G9U86Wx

— Young Black Jesus (@Zeekncashe) May 11, 2021

These two children were not only mismatched physically, but proper technique is also absent from the drill with the runner using the crown of his helmet to initiate contact. Worse, the person behind the video reacts like this is an early 2000s ESPN segment of Jacked Up!, which was quietly cancelled after violent football collisions were connected to CTE.

A lawyer for the North Carolina based youth football program behind the video, released a statement to USA Today claiming the drill took place last year and the coach was subsequently fired.

“This drill occurred back in September 2020 on a team with a first year coach in the program,” attorney Christopher Duggan wrote. “This was addressed immediately with the coach when it happened as this was deemed not an acceptable drill for this age group or the experience level of these players. Subsequent to the coach being removed from his position, there were no other incidents or issues with this team during the remainder of the season.”

But backlash to the video was still immediate, with players, fans and analysts all condemning the coaches in charge of the youth football drill.

Too young is one thing, poor teaching of technique is another, teaching bad technique is far worse, and then seeing bad technique played out at full speed can be tough to watch…..younger age is fine with great oversight and teaching.

— Mike Golic (@golic) May 11, 2021

This is one of the dumbest things I have ever seen in youth sports.
1-they look to be like 7-8 years old. There’s not need to be doing anything close to this
2-one if OBVIOUSLY outmatched and that’s on the coach
3-whoever put this drill together should face consequences

— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) May 11, 2021

There are many people that should not be allowed to be associated with the game of football, at any level. People responsible for this are doing nothing good for the game, and especially nothing good for these children. F’ing joke.

— Louis Riddick (@LRiddickESPN) May 12, 2021

Attention all parents! If your kid is doing this drill. Take your child off the field and don’t go back to those stupid coaches. Coaches like this aren’t safe and ruin the image off football. https://t.co/JkXnYRyeaf

— Torrey Smith (@TorreySmithWR) May 12, 2021

Words cannot begin to express my anger watching this clip…this is not football & whoever put this idiotic drill together & allowed an obvious mismatch should never be allowed near a football field or youth sports forever! This is child abuse disguised as competition https://t.co/hxFmECY2fS

— Joel Klatt (@joelklatt) May 12, 2021

This is awful. Who are these coaches ? Get rid of them! https://t.co/QueCdFQRjj

— Matt Leinart (@MattLeinartQB) May 12, 2021

Makes me sad watching this. If you truly love the game, this crap should anger you as well. Youth football coaching is about protecting the kids, coaching proper technique and having fun. None of that is in this drill. Protect the future of the game! https://t.co/rKcltlzyPY

— Chad Brown (@chadbrown94) May 12, 2021

The human brain does so much vital growing as a child and idc if it makes me soft, if I saw an organization my child was a part of participating in drills like this I’d sue. Tragic. https://t.co/yH2xqlXY4g

— Catherine Silverman (@catmsilverman) May 12, 2021

Dummies gone Dumb (Coaches) https://t.co/ocjbOrpmyP

— Marcus Spears (@mspears96) May 12, 2021

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