INDIANAPOLIS -- Colts linebacker Josh McNary issued an apology on Instagram to Tennessee Titans tight end Delanie Walker for the hit that injured the tight end when the ball wasn't in the area late in the third quarter of Sunday's game.
The Titans had the ball at their own 35-yard line when McNary delivered the hit on Walker on a play that cornerback Patrick Robinson read Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota's eyes, jumped the sideline route and intercepted the pass intended for Andre Johnson at the Colts' 49-yard line. Walker was running an underneath route on the same side of the field that Mariota threw the ball. McNary was called for unnecessary roughness and Walker suffered a bruised chest on the play.
Mularkey: Shot on Delanie Walker was unnecessary. #Titans
— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) October 24, 2016
While Titans coach Mike Mularkey called the shot on Walker unnecessary, Colts coach Chuck Pagano defended McNary on Monday.
"It looked, obviously, how it looked; it's unfortunate," Pagano said. "The quarterback is looking down the same line as Delanie underneath and the guy is behind him and he's reacting, he's playing football.
"We don't have cheap-shot guys on this football team. That's not Josh. That's not any of our guys. There was no malice there. It was a bang-bang play. Guy's reacting to what he thought he saw and it's unfortunate."