Jon Runyan defends decision not to fine Jadeveon Clowney

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Former Eagles offensive lineman Jon Runyan is not a popular man in Philadelphia right now, after he decided not to fine Seahawks defensive end Jadeveon Clowney for a hit that knocked Carson Wentz out of the playoffs with a concussion. But Runyan is standing by his decision.

Runyan, who made the call on not fining Clowney in his capacity as the league’s Vice President of Policy and Rules Administration, said on WIP that he doesn’t think Clowney was leading with his head into Wentz’s head.

“So when you go back and look at this play, it is really, really close,” Runyan said. “Carson’s elbow is still off the ground as Clowney’s arm . . . the first thing that contacts Wentz is Clowney’s arm to his hip and lower back area and then his shoulder rolls in and then his helmet goes in.”

That’s a tough explanation for the Eagles to swallow: Although it may be true that Clowney’s arm touched Wentz’s lower back before the helmet-to-helmet contact, the force of the blow came from Clowney’s helmet and into Wentz’s helmet, and it knocked Wentz out of the game. That’s the kind of hit that the NFL is supposedly trying to remove from the sport of football, and yet Clowney got away with it.