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Pat McAfee recently showed his support for Los Angeles Rams linebacker Bobby Wagner. The linebacker took out a fan who ran onto the field during the Rams' Monday Night Football game against the San Francisco 49ers.
As the half came to a close, the fan ran onto the field carrying what looked like a flare that had pink smoke emitting from it. Wagner took the fan down with a hit, while his teammate Takkarist McKinley provided some assistance. Afterward, the fan was taken away by security.
This wasn't the first time that fans have tried to disrupt an NFL game. During the Week 1 matchup between the Buffalo Bills and the Rams at SoFi Stadium, two protesters made their way onto the field with flares emitting pink smoke.
This form of protest is the calling card of an organization known as Direct Action Everywhere, which, according to their website, is "a global network of activists working to achieve revolutionary social and political change for animals in one generation."
They were protesting because two of their members are currently on trial for sneaking into a Smithfield Foods factory and stealing two piglets back in 2017.
While speaking on his eponymous show, Pat McAfee said that, while what the fan was protesting might have been valid, it put people's lives at risk and can't be allowed to happen.
WARNING: COURSE LANGUAGE USED BELOW.
Pat McAfee said:
“Let’s assume they’re very passionate about their message, which we have an appreciation for. Whatever this person is protesting, I’m sure they’re very passionate about it. I’m sure it’s a worthy cause that they are protesting."
Pat McAfee added:
“With that being said, it’s f**king illegal. You’re putting a lot of people’s lives potentially at risk. You’re holding up everybody else’s life. Nobody came to f**king watch you do this.
"I understand what you are doing is worthy, but if we continue to just say that these people are awesome and that this is what needs to happen, it’ll continue to be a trait that people do. We don’t need that.”
Pat McAfee lauds Bobby Wagner for stopping fan
Wagner was the player who took it upon himself to stop the fan in his tracks with a bump that sent the fan to the ground. Then, security was able to aprehend him.
The linebacker said after the game that he didn't know what the fan had on him, which was scary. Pat McAfee said that it should be within players' rights, if a fan comes onto the field and near players, to stop the fan.
WARNING: COARSE LANGUAGE USED BELOW.
Pat McAfee said:
"That's what Bobby said, you don't know what that fan got or what they're doing, you see it all the time, and we don't know what they're carrying in their pockets. It's whatever that little smoke stuff is, but that could be dangerous. But if you're able to get a smoke stick in the game, okay, let's assume that you're potentially able to do anything else."
Pat McAfee added:
"And I think plastic has the ability to be created into a lot of things. Not that anybody on the Rams sideline, when they saw this person run up, was like, Oh, I'm scared that this person is going to hurt me. That's an absurd thing to think about.
"But also, this motherf**ker is just running at our sideline. We have no idea who they are obviously, like, you're allowed to be like Get the f**k away from ... like, that is something we should be completely okay with."
Fans running onto the field is something that we could start seeing more and more of, especially if these protesters think this method is getting them the attention they need to get their message out. However, for the safety of everyone involved, it just can't be allowed to continue to happen.
If you use any of the above quotes, please credit The Pat McAfee Show and H/T Sportskeeda.
