Joe Buck criticized for speculation about Donald Parham Jr.'s injury during FOX broadcast – USA TODAY
The father of Donald Parham Jr., the Los Angeles Chargers tight end who suffered a head injury Thursday night, told USA TODAY Sports on Friday that his son is “responsive but the doctors are still monitoring and completing their tests on him.’’
Donald Parham Sr., on the other hand, offered no comment about FOX broadcaster Joe Buck. But there were plenty of people willing to do that after the Thursday night NFL game between the Chargers and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Buck came under fire for his comments after Parham’s head slammed to the turf when he attempted to catch a pass from quarterback Justin Herbert in the end zone. As Parham was taken off the field on a stretcher, his arms were shaking as concerned players watched.
That’s when Buck speculated the reason for the arm tremors was because “it’s cold tonight, at least by Los Angeles standards.” Only moments earlier, Buck said he would never speculate on an injury.
Critics quickly took Buck to task on Twitter.
“Ladies and gents, meet rock bottom for sports broadcasting,’’ wrote Chris Nowinski, CEO of the Concussion Legacy Foundation.
“How can Joe Buck be an NFL broadcaster for nearly 30 years and not understand that Parham Jr. was clearly concussed?’’ wrote journalist Aaron Rupar.
“This is an outrage. I’m in LA and it’s 48 degrees. No one I know in LA is experiencing arm tremors from the weather here. The player has a serious traumatic brain injury. Hope he’s going to be ok,’’ wrote Allan Walsh, a sports agent and lawyer.
After he was taken off the field, Parham was transported to UCLA-Harbor Medical Center and reported to be in stable condition while undergoing tests. Those tests continued Friday, according to his father.
Attempts to reach Buck were unsuccessful and as of late Friday morning he had not used his Twitter account to address the matter.
