If the NFL plans to fine him this week for his hit on Titans quarterback Jake Locker, Muhammad Wilkerson doesn’t plan to take it quietly.
The Jets defensive tackle continued to defend his reputation Tuesday, insisting he’s “not a dirty player” and the devastating hit on Locker in a 38-13 loss Sunday was a clean play.
Locker had to be hospitalized after the third-quarter play in which a blast from Wilkerson sent him reeling into Jets end Quinton Coples and caused Locker to injure his hip.
Locker was later diagnosed with a sprained hip, and the Titans said the young passer could miss as few as three games after initial concern the injury would be season-ending.
“I know I’m not a dirty player,” Wilkerson said Tuesday at a public event in Long Island City. “I think it was a clean hit, and that’s that.”
The NFL reportedly is planning to fine both Wilkerson and Coples, and Wilkerson said he would appeal if that happens.
“If I get fined, I’ll appeal it and go from there,” he said.
Wilkerson added he was relieved to hear Locker’s injury wasn’t more serious.
“You never want to see a guy go down like that and get carted off,” he said. “I was clapping for him, I said some prayers for him, and I wish him a speedy recovery.”
Wilkerson defended the hit by saying he didn’t take two steps after Locker released the pass, although video replays don’t appear to be quite as conclusive. “It’s playing football, and things go so fast,” he said. “I didn’t take two steps and then hit him, so I thought it was a clean hit.”
Wilkerson said the hit might be getting more attention because it happened to a quarterback — the most high-profile position on the field — amid an ongoing NFL crackdown on excessively violent plays by defenders.
“That’s what’s going on in the league as far as hits and stuff, but that’s part of the game,” Wilkerson said. “It’s a physical sport. I’m not a dirty player. I don’t think the hit was dirty, and I would mean no harm or try to hurt a player.”
Wilkerson, meanwhile, applauded struggling Jets quarterback Geno Smith for addressing the defense with an apology after committing all four of his team’s turnovers in the loss.
Wilkerson said the rookie passer has the full support of his teammates on the other side of the ball.
“Rookies make mistakes, and we can’t win games when we turn the ball over,” Wilkerson said. “But that’s something Geno and the offense are definitely going to get corrected. As a defense, we know we’ve got to work on creating turnovers and getting him the ball so he can put some points on the board. We know there’s going to be mistakes, but we’ve got Geno’s back.
“There’s ups and downs in this league,” Wilkerson added, “so it’s good that he’s being a pro at a young age and accepting he’ll make some mistakes.”