The website owned and operated by the Baltimore Ravens wants you to know that Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey did not choke Browns receiver Odell Beckham Jr., contrary to the repeated accusations of Browns coach Freddie Kitchens.
The Ravens have posted an article defending Humphrey against the allegation that he put his hands on OBJ’s throat and squeezed. Supporting the argument is a close-up, slow-motion video that shows there was no actual choking.
That’s fine, but Ryan Mink of BaltimoreRavens.com takes it one step farther in suggesting that Humphrey did nothing wrong.
“Humphrey did what he’s coached to do,” Mink writes, “protect himself, all while holding on to Beckham’s jersey the entire time.”
It looked like a little more than self-protection. Although Mink suggests that OBJ tried to sweep Humphrey’s leg while Humphrey held onto Beckham’s jersey and then pulled Humphrey to the ground, the video posted by the Ravens is inconclusive at best on that point. If anything, it looks like Beckham was trying to execute a flop to the ground in order to attract the attention of the officials.
But here’s one unmistakable fact not mentioned by the Ravens: While the two players were wrestling on the turf, Humphrey clearly pressed his right fist into Beckham’s throat.
No, Humphrey didn’t choke Beckham in the classic sense. Humphrey was still out of line. Beckham was out of line, too, but the notion that Marlon Humphrey was blameless is what some would call fake news -- especially since Humphrey later apologized to Beckham for the altercation.
