Panthers TE Greg Olsen on Keanu Neal’s hit: ‘Everyone ... understood why I was upset’
Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen lost his head a bit Sunday – after taking a shot to the head in the first half of a 22-10 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.
Olsen was drilled by Falcons safety Keanu Neal on an incomplete pass across the middle on the first play of the second quarter. The top of Neal’s helmet struck Olsen’s facemask, but no penalty was called.
Olsen got up looking for a flag and had a heated conversation with an official on the sideline. Olsen said the ref told him officials had not seen the hit.
“We talk all year about looking for guys. If anyone saw the replay, you take a full-on helmet square to the face,” Olsen said. “You’d at least like to get the penalty. I think everyone who watches understood why I was upset about that.”
The helmet-to-helmet hit and ensuing no-call were part of a rough day for Olsen, who finished with one catch on 10 targets and two false start penalties.
Joseph Person: 704-358-5123, @josephperson
This story was originally published December 31, 2017 at 10:07 PM with the headline "Panthers TE Greg Olsen on Keanu Neal’s hit: ‘Everyone ... understood why I was upset’."