@NickyPerks on X
An Alabama Crimson Tide football staffer is shown getting thrown to the ground during pregame warmups ahead of a game against East Carolina on Sept. 5, 2026 at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
So you want to be a student assistant for the Alabama Crimson Tide football program? Well, you better make sure you know what you’re signing up for first.
The 13th-ranked Tide kicked off their season against East Carolina on Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium with an emphasis on being more physical than it was a year ago.
If pregame warmups were any indication, Alabama players are more than ready to deliver on that goal.
These Bama boys are ready to hit today yall
Lmaoo pic.twitter.com/UOLT6UVRSJ— Nick Perkins (@NickyPerks) September 5, 2026
Alabama Football Players Repeatedly Ragdoll Staffer In Warmups
A now-viral video showed a student staffer holding a pad while defensive backs Carmelo O’Neal and Zyan Gibson worked on a drill aimed at fighting through blocks.
Unfortunately for the staffer, he was much smaller than both Gibson and O’Neal, who sent the poor assistant flying to the ground on repeated occasions while onlookers couldn’t help but laugh.
“TOUGH ASSIGNMENT for the lad. Remember it’s not about how many times you get pancaked… it’s about how many times you peel yourself back up and run DIRECTLY back in for it again,” Pat McAfee posted on X in response to the hilarious video.
Others, however, didn’t see the humor in it.
“Whose idea is this?” asked @MootePoints. “Let’s see if our D1 corner can knock an intern into the end zone from the 20? So dumb. Get one of the fat useless assistant coaches to hold the pads.”
However, it’s hard to argue with the results.
Alabama blasted East Carolina to the tune of a 48-10 final score, and rushed for 227 yards along the way, showing its newfound commitment to an improved run game and increased physicality.
Here’s hoping that poor student assistant at least got a massage and postgame ice bath out of the deal.