The NFL has fined Saints tackle Khristian Boyd for his hit that knocked Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith out of the game with a concussion on Sunday.
The hit occurred after Smith caught a pass from Jalen Hurts as the Eagles mounted a comeback. Multiple Saints players failed to get Smith to the ground. Boyd had a clear shot at the former Alabama receiver and delivered it with gusto.
However, he made helmet-to-helmet contact and knocked Smith’s helmet off.
Smith did not return to the game.
On Thursday, NOLA.com reported that Boyd was fined $4,600 for the hit.
“I would never deliberately try to give someone a serious injury. Just tried to make a play on the ball. (Be) well soon 6,” Boyd wrote on Instagram via NOLA.com.
The hit stirred accusations online that Saints players deliberately targeted opponents with dirty hits. An accusation Saints coach Dennis Allen addressed Monday.
“I’d say our guys play extremely hard, and we’re going to compete until the down is over,” Allen said. “I don’t think we play dirty. I don’t think we ever have played dirty. It’s not the way we coach it, not the way we teach it, but we do play hard.
“Look, nobody wants to see anybody get hurt, nobody’s trying to hurt anybody and, unfortunately, that’s part of the business that we’re in. No, we don’t play dirty. We don’t coach dirty, but we do play hard, and we do play physical.”
Boyd, a rookie 6th-round pick out of Northern Iowa, has played 45 snaps in three games this year.
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