Packers WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling is getting death threats over overtime fumble

Packers wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling fumbled the game away for the Packers in overtime against the Colts. Then he got death threats.

Sports are great when they’re bringing people together and inspiring passion.

They’re not so great when that passion gets taken way too far.

That seems to be the case for some Packers fans, who responded to Green Bay’s overtime loss to the Colts on Sunday in the worst possible way.

According to wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling, he’s received death threats since his costly overtime fumble.

There is no excuse for sending death threats to an athlete over a game. Yes, fans care deeply about the outcome of each contest, but those feelings should never be vented in such extreme ways.

As the receiver said in his tweet, the Packers have his back. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers and head coach Matt LeFleur defended him after the game.

“He made so many plays for us and not only in the pass game but in the run game, stuff that you guys probably don’t even notice that we’re not getting the yardage that we get if he’s not blocking his ass off,” LeFleur said, per ESPN.

The Packers and Marquez Valdes-Scantling should be okay

Despite Valdes-Scantling’s fumble, which gave the ball to the Colts in overtime with the ability to win the game with a field goal alone, the packers are still in the driver’s seat in the NFC North. With a 7-3 record, they still have a wide gap to the Bears at 5-5.

For his part, Valdes-Scantling was the team’s second-leading receiver on Sunday. He had three catches for 55 yards. His role has increased significantly over the weeks. Last week in a win over Jacksonville, he had four catches fr 149 yards and a touchdown. The week before he caught two touchdowns on his only receptions against the 49ers.

Valdes-Scantling was a fifth-round pick in the 2018 draft. Now in his third season, he’s on track for a career year. Already his four touchdowns are the most he’s managed with the Packers.