Cushing On Season-Ending Block From Slauson: 'There Was Nothing Clean About It'
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- In Week 5 of this past season, Texans inside linebacker Brian Cushing suffered a torn ACL when Jets offensive lineman Matt Slauson put a block on him at MetLife Stadium.
The 2009 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year was subsequently placed on injured reserve as his season came to an end.
The New Jersey native discussed the fateful block in an interview with NFL.com, and he reiterated the fact that the play was not clean.
"I can understand if you're 180 pounds and trying to block a 300-pound guy, and you know you have no chance," Cushing told NFL.com. "But I'm not looking, we're behind the ball, and it's low. And (Slauson) specifically, with a purpose, went for the knee. There was nothing clean about it. There's no debate on whether it was clean.
"The league fined him $10,000, so they had a problem with it. They felt there needed to be a fine, which means they agreed it wasn't a clean play."
Cushing never received an apology from Slauson, which hardly shocked the Texan.
"I didn't expect that," Cushing told the website. "It's how he wanted to go about that. I don't have a relationship with him, nor am I looking for one. It doesn't bother me. It wasn't gonna help me come back, and I don't really care what he thinks."
Prior to being fined, Slauson stated that he didn't expect to be punished for the hit.
"I've been told by my coaches it was a clean block, so (a fine) would be a surprise," Slauson said shortly after the incident occurred.
Slauson wasn't penalized for the block, but Texans coach Wade Phillips said that regardless of the official rules, the hit was uncalled for.
"Whether it was legal or not, all that stuff — I think it's just unnecessary to hit a defensive player when he can't see you," Phillips said following the early October contest.
Prior to being injured in East Rutherford, the third-year player recorded 30 tackles, a forced fumble and an interception in 2012.
Remember that block, Jets fans? Was it as dirty as Cushing says it was? Sound off with your thoughts and comments below...
