- Chris Moore left the game after the hit – he appeared wobbly as he got up
- Officials did not immediately notify Hamilton or the team of the expulsion
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Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton was ejected from Sunday’s 24-16 win over the Tennessee Titans following a face-off with wide receiver Chris Moore.
Hamilton and the Ravens not only questioned the decision to eject the 22-year-old safety after the game, but also the fact that neither he nor the team were immediately informed of the ejection by officials in the field.
“I didn’t even know I was ejected until someone on the defense said it,” Hamilton said. “I asked the referees who were near me and they said they didn’t know what was happening. No one really told me I was kicked out.
During the third quarter, Moore reached out to catch a jump ball and as Hamilton attempted to dislodge the ball from Moore’s grip, his helmet hit the left side of Moore’s.
After the play, Moore was taken to the locker room after being seen staggering while getting up.
Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton was ejected during Sunday’s win over the Titans.
Hamilton was thrown out for a hit against Titans catcher Chris Moore (center).
After the ejection, Hamilton appeared to utter the words “that’s fucking stupid.” He later said: “Is (the penalty call) made 100% of the time? I don’t know… but at the same time, it’s a call that has been launched. So, I don’t really have a problem with the call itself, but I obviously don’t want to be kicked out.
He added: “For a split second I hit it, I tried to knock the ball out. He arrived, unfortunately shaken. So let’s pray for him. I hope he is well. Nothing malicious about it from my point of view. I wasn’t trying to hurt him. I wasn’t trying to do anything wrong. I was just trying to get the ball out.
“I understood the flag,” Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said.
Moore remained on the turf before going to the locker room after recovering from the hit.
“The expulsion was not explained to me on the ground. They didn’t know it on the ground. (He) is from New York, I guess. This isn’t something we’ve seen before. This is new as far as I’m concerned.
Hamilton is only the third player to be sent off this season. Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen described the play as a “tough decision.”
“I don’t think he should have been kicked out,” Queen said. “Was the blow pretty vicious?” I mean, not really. I know Kyle didn’t intentionally try to hit him in the head.
Added cornerback Marlon Humphrey: “It was a quick decision on the ejection,” Humphrey said. “I don’t know how these calls happen or what’s in them. Obviously it was unique.