Minnesota Vikings give Xavier Rhodes boxing gloves to wear in practice
Apparently a Rocky like moment at happened at Winter Park today. The Minnesota Vikings gave Xavier Rhodes boxing gloves, according to 1500ESPN. Not as a gift either although it was kind of presented like one from fellow corner back Captain Munnerlyn.
The Vikings decided to make Rhodes wear boxing gloves so he will hopefully stop grabbing the receivers he is covering. Rhodes has fallen back to the bad habit this season after it looked like he had possibly shaken out of it in 2014.
Rhodes was flagged twice for pass interference in the Vikings’ last game against the Denver Broncos. Plus, he was fined over $17,000 for a horse-collar tackle of Broncos’ receiver Emmanuel Sanders.
Here’s some photographic proof via a tweet from Eric Oslund of VikingUpdate.com that Rhodes was ready to put up his dukes:
#Vikings CB Xavier Rhodes wearing boxing gloves so he doesn't grab receivers pic.twitter.com/6huLgcBn4B
— Eric Oslund (@EDOslund) October 12, 2015
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According to 1500ESPN, when Rhodes was given the gloves, Vikings defensive back coach Jerry Gray told Rhodes: “Now you can’t grab.”
Rhodes leads the team in a good category and a bad category. He leads the team in pass deflections with three, but he and defensive end Everson Griffin are tied for the team lead in penalties with seven each.
It’s a cute idea, but it’s also a pretty practical idea as well. I’m sure this isn’t a ground breaking practice, but this is one of those small things that some coaching staffs wouldn’t even think of. The Vikings are having some pretty good secondary play and this can only help those numbers improve for the purple.
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