Houston Texans quarterback Ryan Mallett had such a bad game on Thursday, it made his grandmothers cry.
Well, the media did, anyway.
Mallett (Arkansas Razorbacks) took a hard hit in the first half of Thursday's 27-20 loss to the Indianapolis Colts and came out of the game. He tried to get back in shortly afterward, but Coach Bill O'Brien decided to leave backup Brian Hoyer in the game.
When Mallett came out, he had completed 7 of 10 passes for 50 yards and a red-zone interception. Hoyer finished the game with 312 yards passing with 2 touchdowns and an interception. It was the second consecutive week Mallett had been replaced by Hoyer in a loss.
What really stirred the pot was when Mallett walked off the field before halftime, prompting a wave of criticism over what appeared to be a selfish act.
"Ryan's grandmas ... it affects them big time," Mallett's father, Jim Mallett, told TMZ. "They read it all. It hurts them. I've seen them in tears."
After the game, Mallett insisted his early exit was a mistake, that he didn't realize there was still time left on the clock.
"He said to me, 'I didn't do anything on purpose,' " Jim Mallett said. "And I can tell you that's true. That's not Ryan."
"For people to portray him as a bad person or teammate, they don't understand. If they were to meet our family, they'd know he was a good person. A compassion kid. Competitor. Someone who wants to do what's right for the team."
To be fair, Mallett wasn't the only one who thought the half was over. O'Brien also tried to leave the field before time ran out, but he was stopped before he got too far.
Only problem is, this wasn't Mallett's first run-in with a timepiece. Back in August, Mallett found out he lost the starting job to Hoyer, and, intentional or not, missed practice a few days later. He claimed afterward that he overslept.
O'Brien has already named Hoyer as the starter for the Texans' next game at Jacksonville, risking the wrath of grandmothers everywhere.
Tough talk
Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback turned Fox NFL commentator Terry Bradshaw had plenty to say to Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
Last week, Jones (North Little Rock, Arkansas Razorbacks) publicly defended defensive end Greg Hardy after Hardy basically stuck both feet and his helmet in his mouth at a news conference addressing his return from a four-game suspension for domestic violence.
Hardy, who was initially suspended for 10 games before his case was dismissed when his ex-girlfriend decided not to cooperate with the invesitgation, said he wanted to come back "guns blazing" and complimented Tom Brady for having an attractive wife.
On Fox NFL Sunday, Bradshaw condemned Jones for giving Hardy a job and said he hopes players guilty of domestic abuse are eradicated from the NFL.
"Anybody, in my opinion, that lays a hand on a woman -- I don't care who you are my friend -- you never come back in this league," Bradsaw said. "But Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, in his desperation to get a pass rusher, said, 'Well you know what America, Cowboys fans, he's alright. He's a good boy. We're going to get him all straightened out over here and bring him in.' Which he did. He has his first news conference, he makes a fool of himself.
"This is wrong. We have no place for this. I'm actually tired of talking about the Hardys of the world, and I really, really, seriously hope that eventually we never have a place in the NFL for people that touch a woman."
In Sunday's game, Grady had 4 tackles, 3 unassisted, including 2 sacks, in Dallas' 30-6 loss to New England. Doesn't seem worth the effort.
Sports quiz
What was Ryan Mallett's record as a starter last season with Houston?
Answer
1-1.
Sports on 10/12/2015