ESPN Milwaukee radio hosts are facing backlash for controversial remarks about Brock Purdy ahead of the Divisional Round clash between the Green Bay Packers and the San Francisco 49ers. The comments, made on the “Jen, Gabe & Chewy” program, involved former Packers star tight end Mark Chmura recalling the team’s significant upset against the 49ers in the 1995 NFC Divisional Round.
Chmura highlighted the Packers’ use of physicality and toughness to secure a 27-17 victory over Steve Young’s 49ers. However, he took it a step further by suggesting a questionable strategy: intentionally delivering a late hit on Brock Purdy, the 49ers’ star quarterback, as a means of sending a message. Chmura stated, “A 15-yard penalty, and I don’t condone this, but I kinda do in the playoffs…a 15-yard penalty for a late hit on Brock Purdy is not a bad thing as long as it’s worth it. I’m just saying, this is the mindset you go into when it’s battle.”
Critics immediately condemned such a suggestion, citing its ethical concerns and drawing parallels to the infamous “Bountygate” scandal. Additionally, the impracticality of such a strategy in today’s NFL was emphasized, given the league’s strict enforcement of “roughing the passer” penalties to protect quarterbacks. Any late hit on Purdy would likely result in a 15-yard penalty and potential ejections.
DISGUSTING: ESPN Milwaukee radio hosts said the #Packers should purposely LATE HIT #49ers QB Brock Purdy
😳😳😳
This is awful.
pic.twitter.com/gi8dH5KZ7p— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) January 17, 2024
As the top-seeded 49ers (13-4) head into the matchup as overwhelming favorites against the seventh-seeded Packers, led by Jordan Love following their surprising win over the Dallas Cowboys on Super Wild Card Weekend, the focus remains on whether Love can replicate Brett Favre’s 1995 feat of orchestrating an upset in the Bay Area. The historical context adds intrigue, considering Aaron Rodgers’ winless record (0-4) in playoff games against the 49ers during his illustrious Packers career. The question looms: Can Love deliver an upset of epic proportions? The NFL community eagerly awaits the answer. Twitter is ablaze with reactions, with one user expressing, “Chmura’s suggestion is way out of line! The NFL won’t tolerate that kind of play in today’s game. #NFLPlayoffs #Packersvs49ers.” As the drama unfolds, football enthusiasts are left anticipating whether Love can script a memorable chapter in the Packers’ playoff history.