Tracy Walker was ragin’ mad with the officials.
The former University of Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns star, and second-year starting safety for the Detroit Lions, expressed his displeasure with the officiating in the Monday Night Football game between Detroit and Green Bay.
Walker was flagged for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Packers wide receiver Geronimo Allison. Walker was called for a personal foul on the hit as the Detroit was penalized 15 yards for unnecessary roughness.
The Packers defeated the Lions 23-22.
In the locker room afterwards Walker stated his frustration with the penalty being called to ESPN.
“Awful,” Walker said. “It was an awful call. I felt like I went for the ball and (it) just so happened we collided, but I was looking for the ball. It was an awful call by them. It is what it is, though.”
The game’s head referee Clete Blakeman answered questions to a pool reporter afterwards. Blakeman had this to say regarding the Walker penalty when asked if the defensive back has the right to go for the football.
“This is a good question, but the reality is it’s a strict liability for the defensive player. In this case, he may be going for the ball, may not intend to hit the helmet, but when there’s helmet contact, it basically is a foul against the receiver in that situation.”
Walker though wasn’t the only Lion flagged as fellow defensive back Trey Flowers was penalized twice for illegal use of the hands on third downs in the final. Both calls extended drives for the Packers.
“Extremely pissed off right now,” Walker further stated. “It is what it is. Disappointed. Hurt. We had that game. I’m going to say the same s***. We should have won it. It is what it is, though. Got to bounce back.”
The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Walker was a four-year letterman at UL, was named to the All-Sun Belt Freshman Team in 2014, earned All-Sun Belt third-team honors as a senior in 2017. In four seasons, Walker recorded 276 tackles, 8 interceptions and 26 pass deflections.
Walker was drafted by the Lions in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft and currently leads the team in interceptions (1) and tackles (37).