NFL players should refrain from using their phones during a game, without question.
Despite the Eagles securing a win against the Commanders on Sunday, there were a few hiccups along the way, particularly involving fumbles near the goal line, with running back Kenneth Gainwell being responsible for one of them.
The issue arose when, instead of moving past his mistake, Kenneth opted to engage with social media trolls during halftime.
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Since Gainwell’s fumble had a direct impact on the team’s score, fans flooded his direct messages with complaints and trolling. One fan, going by the handle ‘phibirdsrecap,’ sent him a message saying, “Hold on to the football, you f—ing bum.”
Gainwell, evidently unable to resist the urge, decided to fire back with a retort of his own while the Eagles were trailing 17-10, saying, “Lil boy, don’t text me.” This seemingly brought the Instagram exchange to a close.
By the end of the game, Gainwell’s performance was disappointing, with just two rushes for a net loss of four yards and five catches for 30 yards. His fumble prompted the Eagles to rely more on their starting running back, D’Andre Swift.
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni did not overlook this behavior. He confirmed that they had spoken to Kenny Gainwell about the incident, stating on Monday, “We definitely had a conversation with him. We do have some time at halftime, and he knows he made a mistake. We just reminded him to disregard the external distractions. He knows he made a mistake.”
It’s certainly unexpected behavior from a professional athlete.
As tempting as it might be to engage with internet trolls, athletes have a job to perform on the field. If you want to engage in online exchanges, it’s best to wait until after the game is over.
