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Carolina Panthers safety
Eric Reid got into a pre-game confrontation with
Philadelphia Eagles safety
Malcolm Jenkins, leaving questions about whether the standoff stemmed from their disagreement on strategies about social injustice initiatives.
While the pre-game coin toss was taking place Sunday, cameras caught Reid addressing Jenkins, who stepped up to Reid. The back-and-forth continued as several teammates had to restrain Reid and usher him to the Carolina sideline.
Reid appeared to remain upset at Jenkins even after the game started. After one play early in the first quarter, he lingered near the Eagles sideline and appeared to stare down Jenkins.
Then, later in the quarter, Reid tackled quarterback Carson Wentz after a handoff on a read-option play, and Eagles tight end Zach Ertz charged at Reid to retaliate. Reid lowered his shoulder, lifting Ertz on his back and tossed him aside to the ground. Both Ertz and Reid were called for offsetting unnecessary roughness penalties.
Both Reid and Jenkins have been some of the most vocal NFL players who have pushed for criminal justice reform and have spoken out against police brutality and social inequality.
Earlier in October, in his introductory news conference with the Panthers, Reid was asked about the Players Coalition and called it an “NFL-funded subversion group.” Reid was formerly a member of the coalition, but later left the group, citing a difference in philosophy.
Jenkins is one of the co-founders of the coalition. In May, the Players Coalition and the NFL agreed to a partnership in which the league pledge to provide at least $90 million to support causes championed by the coalition.