Carolina Panthers Will No Longer Bring Baseball Bats On The Field Before Games

After this weekend’s controversy, the Carolina Panthers will no longer carry a baseball bat on the field before games.

“Because I’ll hear it if I don’t [end it],” head coach Ron Rivera said Tuesday. “That’s the truth of the matter. I’m going to end up hearing it, so to avoid the set of circumstances let’s just eliminate it. That’s what we’re going to do. [The NFL], it’s the ‘No Fun League’ for a reason.”

The Panthers’ Bene’ Benwikere carried the bat onto the field before playing the Falcons to show the club’s intention to “keep bringing the wood.” After he went down with a broken leg, his teammates continued to carry the bat in his honor.

While Rivera insisted the bat controversy was a misunderstanding, the NFL also reminded teams that they are forbidden to bring foreign objects onto the field.

“Teams and individual players may have items they use for motivation or to symbolize a theme that the team has used this season,” wrote NFL executive vice president Troy Vincent, who went on to say they were not allowed on the field at any time; violations can result in a suspension.

“For the purposes of this policy, ‘foreign objects’ broadly encompasses any item that is neither intrinsic to the game nor necessary to conduct pregame drills and treat and prepare players for the game. To be clear, items such as massage rollers, agility ladders, medicine balls, and any equipment to assist the medical and athletic training staffs in treating players are permitted.”

 

Photo:Cam Newton #1 of the Carolina Panthers rushes for a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles during their game at Bank of America Stadium on October 25, 2015 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)