Exum on tackling a field-storming fan: 'I felt threatened, so I acted on it'
Midway through the fourth quarter of today’s 30-14 win over the Raiders, a fan ran onto the field as the Vikings were preparing to kick off. But safety Antone Exum quickly brought him to the turf with an open-field tackle.
“We didn’t know what was going on at first, but then we realized it was a wild guy running around on the field,” the second-year safety said after the win. “So long story short, I felt threatened, so I acted on it and I did a successful job taking him down and hopefully I kept everybody safe.”
After Exum tackled the man, the man was dragged off the field by security.
“It was really a great tackle,” Exum said with a laugh. “He tried to juke me. He slipped and I made the play. I really need to ask the league if that counts for my stats this week. They should at least give me that tackle. … The way he was juking out the police, they weren’t going to bring him down.”
Coach Mike Zimmer wasn’t watching when the fan ran out on the field, but he was told about Exum’s tackle in the locker room after the game.
“I wish I could have done it,” Zimmer later said with a grin.