Alabama wide receiver Jermaine Burton won’t be suspended for his actions last week.
During the team’s loss to Tennessee, Burton was caught on video pushing a female Vols fan who had rushed the field.
Jermaine Burton smacking a girl in the head after the game pic.twitter.com/6DeqPYJ5WK
— Legends of Lindsey Nelson (@VolCreatures) October 18, 2022
Burton went on to start during the team’s game against Mississippi State which angered some fans.
Nick Saban starting Jermaine Burton after what he did post Tennessee game is not a good look…
— TStorm (@TStorm106) October 23, 2022
Jermaine Burton starting this game is disgraceful but not surprising for a Saban led program #NoIntegrity
— Michael May (@MikeMay23) October 22, 2022
Saban was asked about Burton, and he says the wide receiver was “scared” while fans ran on the field. Saban went on to say that Burton will seek counseling for the incident.
“I don’t know how many of you have been in a situation like that. I talked to him. He was scared, I was scared, some of our other players were scared,” Saban said. “I think you learn to respect other people because we have a responsibility to do that, regardless of the circumstance we’re in. I talked to the guy, we have him in a counseling program, it’s not an anger management program, as some people announced today. Nobody ever said that, that’s not the problem, that’s not the issue.
“It’s about having the proper respect for other people,” Saban added. “I didn’t think it was necessary to suspend the guy, so if you knew the whole story, maybe you wouldn’t either. But I am not gonna divulge that.”
Here’s video of Saban’s comments.
Nick Saban, on the incident with Jermaine Burton last weekend at Tennessee.
Here’s part of his answer. Says that Burton, himself and players were scared. pic.twitter.com/SLiRsAtSQB
— Trey Wallace (@TreyWallace_) October 23, 2022
Fans weren’t buying Saban’s comments.
I just don’t understand how a 6 foot 200 something pound MAN was scared of a girl half his size. This is absolutely embarrassing for both Nick Saban and Burton….idc what anyone says!! https://t.co/zwq1kCT8aP
— Josh. (@just_me_josh116) October 23, 2022
So let me get this right, a highly competitive D1 muscled up football player walks into Nick Saban’s office, sits down and when asked why he did it…looks Saban dead in the eye and says “I was scared”
…and were supposed to believe that? https://t.co/iieD0WfyJf— Earl (@AEarl20) October 23, 2022
This is just embarrassing..,He was not scared, video clearly shows several of Bama players casually walking and if you feel like you are in danger you are not casually walking and you definitely don’t have helmet off like the player did. Just a pathetic excuse!!! https://t.co/GcAhiT1HXf
— Jeff Huffman (@Huff4vols) October 23, 2022