New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave exited Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after he took a hard hit from two defenders.
Olave caught a short pass from quarterback Spencer Rattler, who was starting in the first game of his NFL career in place of Derek Carr. He was met by defensive backs Zyon McCollum and Tykee Smith. As the defenders made the play on Olave, the wide receiver coughed up the ball.
Tampa Bay’s Antoine Winfield Jr., left, reaches to pick up a fumble by Saints wide receiver Chris Olave, bottom, that the Buccaneers safety returned for a touchdown in New Orleans, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Saints wide receiver Chris Olave fumbles the ball against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in New Orleans, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. recovered the fumble and ran it back for a touchdown. Olave looked dazed and confused as medical trainers checked on him and helped him off of the field.
Former Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas, who was the 2019 Offensive Player of the Year, wondered where the targeting penalty was as McCollum tagged Olave to help jar the ball loose.
“Damn no targeting,” Thomas wrote on X.
There was no flag and Tampa Bay took a 14-0 lead in the first quarter.
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Olave was later ruled out for the game with a concussion.
The third-year wide receiver came into the matchup against Tampa Bay with 22 catches for 275 yards and a touchdown through the first five games of the season.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. returns a fumble by Saints wide receiver Chris Olave for a touchdown at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Oct. 13, 2024. (Stephen Lew-Imagn Images)
He was in the spotlight last week after his brother wondered why he only had one target in the first half against the Kansas City Chiefs.
New Orleans lost last week’s game, 26-13.
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