NBC analyst Chris Simms apologizes for halftime remarks after Oregon quarterback injured
Chris Simms issued an apology on X for comments made during a halftime broadcast about Oregon quarterback Dante Moore's concussion, acknowledging he had handled the situation poorly.
Oregon quarterback Dante Moore was taken from the field on a stretcher after a hard hit by USC linebacker Desman Stephens during Saturday's game against USC. The play resulted in a one-game suspension for Stephens and prompted Oregon coach Dan Lanning to call the hit "disgusting."
During the halftime broadcast, NBC analyst Chris Simms suggested that Moore should have slid earlier to avoid the collision, referencing advice his father gave him when he was a college quarterback. Simms said Moore's late slide placed the defender in a difficult position and implied the quarterback bore some responsibility for the injury.
The remarks drew criticism on social media, with many viewers describing the comments as lacking empathy toward Moore and the Oregon team. On Sunday, Simms posted a video on X apologizing for his remarks. > "I’d like to take a moment to apologize to everyone for the way I handled the halftime last night between the Oregon Ducks and the USC Trojans. I clearly did not show enough sympathy for the situation, just diving right into football stuff. And I am sorry for that," he said. He added that he respects the Oregon program and its players and acknowledged that he had mishandled the situation.