Before No. 13 Alabama even kicked off against East Carolina, one staff member already had a rough day. During pregame pad drills, a Crimson Tide player delivered a hit that sent the staffer flying backward, landing flat on his back. The video quickly went viral, and the internet had plenty to say.
The clip shows the player charging forward during a blocking drill, with the staffer holding a pad to absorb the impact. Instead, the staffer absorbed the full force of the collision, getting blasted off his feet. To his credit, the player immediately checked on him, but the staffer popped right back up and got back to work, earning a mix of admiration and concern.
Social media weighs in
Fans were quick to react, with some joking about the staffer's resilience and others questioning the lack of protective gear. “At least give him a helmet. Talk about CTE,” one user wrote on X. Another added, “Football guy, for the love of the game in the SEC where it just means more.” A third pointed out, “Difference between a D1 athlete and the average fit male.”
Some even shared their own experiences. “Needs cleats and a weighted vest. When I first got to the Eagles, Stoutland had myself and others holding bags like this and yelling ‘full metal jacket’ when the OL was going too easy on us,” one commenter recalled. Another joked, “‘How did you get CTE, you didn’t play football?’ ‘I held the blocking pad at Bama.’”
The game itself
While the staffer's ordeal was the talk of social media, the actual game wasn't much of a contest. Alabama rolled to a 38-7 halftime lead over East Carolina, with touchdowns from EJ Crowell, Daniel Hill, Yhonzae Pierre, and Keelon Russell. The Pirates offered about as much resistance as that blocking pad.
The moment serves as a reminder of the sheer power of college athletes, even against those who work with them daily. It also echoes the broader conversation about Alabama's playoff potential this season, as the Crimson Tide continue to assert their dominance.
For the staffer, it's a story he'll likely never live down—but at least he can say he took a hit from a future NFL star. And as Al Michaels might say, that's just part of the game.
