Nick Saban was heavily criticized after playing Jermaine Burton against Mississippi State Saturday.
Burton was in the media spotlight last week when he was seen on video striking a Tennessee fan after the Vols beat the Tide. Saban and Alabama investigated the incident and decided there was no reason to suspend the wide receiver.
“I don’t know how many of you have been in a situation like that,” Saban said. “He was scared. I was scared. Some of our other players were scared….I talked to the guy, we have him in a counseling program. It’s not an anger management program which people announced today, nobody ever said that. It’s not the problem. It’s not the issue…If you knew the whole story maybe you wouldn’t either but I’m not gonna divulge that.”
Social media users shared their disdain for Alabama allowing Burton to play. Here are some of their reactions:
Announcers keep saying Jermaine Burton felt like he was in danger when Tennessee fans rushed the field.
Please. That coed was not dangerous.
Bama handled it "internally."
That's fine. No issue from me.
But don't try to feed me that bullshit narrative over and over.
— Radi Nabulsi (@RadiNabulsi) October 23, 2022
So we’re pushing the narrative that Jermaine Burton felt like he was “in danger” when he hit a girl who rushed the field at Knoxville?
Seriously??
— Will Boling (@will_boling) October 23, 2022
Jermaine Burton is playing for Bama tonight? Am I the only one that thinks this is insane?!
At best, he shoved a female fan last week. At worst he punched her.
I dont care if she was on the field or not.
This is embarrassing for Nick Saban.
Why is no else talking about this?
— Aaron Torres (@Aaron_Torres) October 23, 2022
You can't excuse Jermaine Burton's actions after the Tennessee game as something that happened because fans rushed the field.
We've seen the video, guys. It was a woman who was not threatening him at all, and he went out of his way to do it.
Not saying jail him. But come on.
— Wes Rucker (@wesrucker247) October 23, 2022
Jermaine Burton was scared of a girl on a football field so he assaulted her from behind. @AlabamaFTBL you’re a bunch of bitches. https://t.co/oJ5HLPbfzt
— Todd (@onecrazytj) October 23, 2022
So Kirk Herbstreit and Chris Fowler are are ok with Jermaine Burton hitting a female? Sure sounded like it last night!
— TENACFAN30 (@tenacfan30) October 23, 2022
Just lost every ounce of respect for saban, he’s straight trash just like jermaine Burton . https://t.co/4MpDxJNTYx
— Steve (@Vol_till_i_fall) October 23, 2022
I’m somewhere between “anyone who rushes the field should get punched in the face” and “if you rush the field, whatever happens to you, happens to you”, but let’s not pretend #JermaineBurton did anything but punch a woman running past him.
Fuck Saban and his sycophants.
— GentlemanMuser (@GentlemanMuser) October 23, 2022
