A social media exchange between Ottawa Redblacks quarterback Dru Brown and Hamilton Tiger-Cats defensive back DaShaun Amos on Monday indicated there’s no animosity as a result of Sunday’s game in the nation’s capital.
Brown was knocked from the matchup after taking a headshot from Amos, who struck the bottom of the quarterback’s facemask with the crown of his helmet on a blitz. The hit caused Brown’s helmet to fly off, drawing a 25-yard penalty for roughing the passer.
“First and foremost, my thoughts and prayers go out to Dru,” wrote Amos on social media. “As someone who has lost significant playing time due to injury, that’s the last thing I would intentionally do to someone. The talk about lack of technique, I’ll take it but the cheap shot, dirty player talk? Got the wrote guy.”
The post caught Brown’s attention, who offered a sympathetic reply.
“The people that matter know you’re not that type of player,” wrote the veteran passer. “It’s football, s*** happens fast.”
The hit occurred early in the second quarter and knocked Brown from the game after he’d completed six-of-eight pass attempts for 66 yards and one interception. The 28-year-old native of Palo Alto, Calif. was replaced by Dustin Crum, who threw for 149 yards and one interception and rushed for 43 yards as the game ended in a 30-15 loss to the Tiger-Cats.
When a fan replied to Amos criticizing him for celebrating his illegal hit on Brown, the defensive back defended himself, claiming TSN’s cameras didn’t capture him offering an apology to Ottawa head coach Bob Dyce.
“(Celebrating on the field is) what you do when you think you’ve made a good play to help your team win,” he wrote. “What you didn’t see is me go over to their bench apologetically and speak with their head coach.”
Though it’s unclear exactly when the apology took place, Dyce clearly wasn’t happy with the officiating as he inferred the hit should have resulted in an ejection during a halftime interview with TSN.
Amos joined Hamilton in free agency this offseason after being named All-East Division in 2024 as a member of the Toronto Argonauts. The 30-year-old native of Midlothian, Va. has recorded 183 defensive tackles, eight special teams tackles, 17 interceptions, and one forced fumble over 83 career regular-season CFL games as a member of the Calgary Stampeders, Argonauts, and Tiger-Cats, winning three Grey Cups.
The Redblacks (1-6) are currently on a bye week, while the Tiger-Cats (4-2) will visit the B.C. Lions (3-4) in Vancouver on Sunday, July 27 with kickoff slated for 7:00 p.m. EDT.
