Nick Saban did not feel compelled to punish Alabama wide receiver Jermaine Burton after video appeared to show Burton hit a woman on the field after Tennessee’s win over the Crimson Tide in Knoxville on Oct. 15.
Burton caught two passes for 40 yards in Alabama’s 30-6 win over Mississippi State on Saturday. After that game, Saban said Burton “was scared,” as were the coach and other players, after fans stormed the field in Knoxville.
“I didn’t think it was necessary to suspend the guy,” Saban told reporters. “If you knew the whole story, maybe you wouldn’t either. But I’m not going to divulge that.”
Saban said Burton is in a “counseling program” but stressed that it is not an anger management program.
“I think you learn to respect other people because we have a responsibility to do that regardless of the circumstance that we’re in,” Saban said.
A fan named Emily Isaacs posted a TikTok video after the Alabama-Tennessee game and wrote, “Jermaine Burton smacking me in the head while walking past him after their loss Saturday.”
The video showed a player which appeared to be Burton swinging toward a woman’s head as he walked past her. The woman turned and held her hands to her head as she stopped to look back toward the player.
Tennessee was fined $100,000 by the SEC as a result of fans storming the field at Neyland Stadium. Fans tore down the goalposts after the game.
Alabama receiver Jermaine Burton warming up before a game against Mississippi State on Oct. 22, 2022. USA TODAY Sports
Alabama head coach Nick Saban (l.) during a game against Mississippi State on Oct. 22, 2022. APNo. 6 Alabama’s next two games are on the road against No. 18 LSU and No. 15 Ole Miss.
