Vikings' Kalil knocked the hat off a heckler's head; apologizes
Matt Kalil's frustration may have gotten the best of him following the Vikings' loss to the Packers on Sunday.
Kalil, who was penalized three times for 35 yards in the game, got into a shouting match and flipped the hat off a heckler's head after he exited TCF Bank Stadium, according to multiple reports.
Deadspin has a video of Kalil flipping the winter hat off the fan's head. The story includes a back-and-forth on Twitter between ESPN reporter Ben Goessling the man who claims he is the fan. The video also shows something being thrown at Kalil as he calmly walks away after removing the fan's hat.
As Kalil departs, another voice is heard yelling, "Why don't you play that way on the field, dude?!"
Another witness to the scene tweeted that Kalil argued with the heckler multiple times.
The Pioneer Press transcribed the series of tweets the fan sent to Goessling:
"We just watched Matt Kalil cost us the game, so when he came out I really didn't want to see him, so I said to him "where do you want to be traded?" and he was on his phone, and when it finally registered with him what I said he turned and then he told me to "get the (expletive) outta here" and then i said "I'd rather have your rather than you on my team" and then he walked away like he didn't' hear what I said, but then he turned back around and asked me what I said again and then I repeated what I said again and then he proceeded to grab my hat off my head and throw it on the ground and mumble some stuff I didn't hear, i then threw my program in his face."
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Kalil has been the center of criticism for the struggling Vikings. After being selected with the fourth pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, Kalil seems to be regressing. He was named to the Pro Bowl as a rookie, admitted to struggling in 2013, and entering Sunday's game against Green Bay he had given up 11 sacks this season, according to Rotoworld.
Before getting into the alleged argument with the fan, Kalil dodged reporters who were trying to speak with him in the locker room. Here's how Jim Souhan described the situation in his Monday column for the Star Tribune.
"Matt Kalil felt the pressure. Using that sixth sense some players possess, he identified, without looking, the four opponents itching to rush him, and countered with his most athletic move of the day.
"He spun, grabbed his satchel, stuck his phone to his ear, cut past four reporters and headed to the exit of the Vikings locker room. One reporter tried to stop him at the door, but Kalil said, “Sorry, I’m on the phone,’’ and was gone."
UPDATE
Kalil has sort of apologized, according to Goessling.
Naturally, the "block out" part of the comment was an easy target for a fan.
Here's some more from the Star Tribune.
“Just talking. He’s just a fan, so. Not a big deal,” Kalil said Monday when asked about the incident with the fan. “He just caught me when I had a short fuse that day,” Kalil said, later adding, “It’s not like I dog-cussed the guy out or anything like that.”
