Green Bay Packers receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling says he’s received death threats following his key overtime fumble in Sunday’s 34-31 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
“Death threats over a football game? Jesus you people need help,” Valdes-Scantling tweeted Sunday night. “It’s actually sick. I’m good. My team got my back.”
Indeed, multiple Packers coaches and teammates defended the third-year receiver after the game. Valdes-Scantling’s fumble at Green Bay’s 30-yard line in the first minute of OT led to Rodrigo Blankenship’s game-winning field goal two minutes later.
Offensive lineman Lucas Patrick retweeted Valdes-Scantling’s post, adding there is “No other man I’d want on my team!!!”
Head coach Matt LaFleur and quarterback Aaron Rodgers also defended Valdes-Scantling, whose 47-yard reception helped set up Green Bay’s game-tying field goal at the end of regulation.
“I have a lot of love for Marquez,” Rodgers said. “I see the guy every single day, I see how much he cares about it. It happens, unfortunately.”
LaFleur added he was “so proud of [Valdes-Scantling’s] effort, stressing “I’ve got more confidence in him now than probably ever” and “every time we go out there, he’s providing big plays.”
Before tweeting about alleged death threats, the 26-year-old Valdes-Scantling also posted that he hoped to learn from Sunday’s miscue.
“Thank You God,” he tweeted. “Without failure there is no growth.”