A target list of injuries is just one step past stupid, but the sanctimony is getting a little deep. Sapp, who took a year off Clifton's career, and Irvin are now claiming they have never heard such of such a thing.
Coaches who have taught defense this way have been around forever as have players who will listen to it. Reggie White acknowledged he purposefully held Brett Favre's arm in a vulnerable position and landed fully on top of him, hoping to injure or damage Favre's effectiveness. White succeeded in partially separating Favre's non-throwing shoulder. the fact that Favre continued to play well was one reason White signed with the Packers the next year.
Albert Haynesworth stomped on Gurode's face several years ago. Haynesworth is several iterations dumber than White. However, White was coached by Buddy White and Haynesworth by Ryan acolytes Fisher/Williams/Schwartz. Albert took the instruction more to heart and had less conscience about it.
Players have targeted other players injuries long before this. Why does anyone believe Belicheck and other coaches refuse to reveal the actual injury involved? Its the same reason Hockey coaches list players with an injured "lower body". Players targeted Aikman and Young's heads. Was it a coincidence that Wayne Simmons blasted the 49er fullback, causing a fumble, who had a cast on his hand/arm in the Packers playoff game at Candlestick Park? Simmons also targeted Brett Jones for some non-traditional coverage in throwing him around like a rag doll in that game. Simmons was one of Fritz Shurmur's favorites. Was it because he was a witty conversationalist? A former player for Shurmur said Fritz would get colorful but not go to the extent of listing injuries. How much more info is necessary to know what to do? Most of the players understand. Not all of them do it even when encouraged. That is when a coach asks for the team to bring in "his" kind of players.
Punishing Williams more for this speech is dumb, since it signifies nothing new. And oddly, there is no mention of the paydays.
The League wants to change the culture of coaching and football to encourage less hits with intent to injure and fewer headshots (and use of the head as an instrument of tackling). Fine. Especially with regard to putting a hat on the ball (or Chuck Cecil missile shots), is bad technique anyway and leads to more injuries. Previous efforts by the NFL (usually after a catastrophe that does not seem present in this case) have pushed the sports coaches in other levels to adopt better policies about hydration and training. Its probably a good thing and the only way the sport survives.
But Josh Sitton (perhaps unknowingly), Sapp and Irvin are being foolish if they think this isn't common among D coaches. Not all of them do it, but even a saint like Joe Gibbs have tolerated it.
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