“I don’t live my life with regrets.” This was not the best thing that Draymond Green could’ve said hours after engaging in one of the most controversial moments of his NBA career. Longtime Golden State Warriors fans were quite aware of his rivalry with the Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert. After all, the duo would often take jabs at each other. However, tensions between the two escalated when Green put his rival in a chokehold. This happened during a Warriors-Timberwolves game. Sports fans would have felt a sense of nostalgia after witnessing a similar incident but in a different sport.

With the NFL season currently in full swing, the San Francisco 49ers recently took on the New York Jets. One of the most interesting moments of the game took place with just 5:34 minutes remaining in the second quarter. The Jets had third-and-5 from their 35-yard line. 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa proceeded to rush Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers. To prevent him, rival offensive tackle Tyron Smith grabbed Bosa. He turned him around and put him into a straight chokehold. Though Bosa wasn’t able to make contact, his pass rush affected Aaron Rodgers, as he led to a throwaway and a three-and-out.

The ‘turning around and grabbing the neck through the arm’ move was the closest Smith unintentionally came to replicating the Warriors player’s action. Surprisingly, nothing came off it. The game continued, and Tyron Smith faced no consequences despite the chokehold. In contrast, Draymond Green’s similar move resulted in his ejection and a five-game suspension. Several calls, including an illegal formation and two penalties, were made against the San Francisco team. Smith went unpunished.

This clear contrast between the NBA and NFL has generated interest among social media users. Many users are voicing their opinions.

“Sum Draymond Green typa shiii” – Fans quick to compare Tyron Smith to NBA star

As soon as Tyron Smith’s viral moment aired, people flocked to X. Social media users wasted no time, with one even asking: “Is that Draymond Green”?

The remark set the foundation, with dozens of other such comments coming in. From describing it as “Sum Draymond green typa shiii 💀” to implying that the chokehold was trademarked. “Had that man in a Draymond Green.”

Amidst all the Draymond Green jokes, however, one social media user came forward to defend Tyron Smith. Having seen the same clip as anyone, the commenter stated his belief “That’s a legal choke!”, accompanied by a laughing emoji.

The commenter’s belief may have stemmed from the fact that Smith’s actions may or may not have come under ‘holding.’ It’s the call made after the hand or arm is illegally used to restrain someone not in possession of the ball. However, if grabbing a player by the neck doesn’t constitute a holding call, then what does? According to a report by Pro Football Journal, Nick Bosa avoided being held accountable for several holding calls back in 2022. No one could have imagined the 49ers athlete to now be on the other side of the table.

Another individual criticized the on-court officials themselves by stating “Is the ref sleeping?”

The commenter’s thought process was also felt by NFL fans attending the game. Smith not being punished was followed by a series of calls that 49ers fans did not agree with. The referees would reportedly instead hand throw a flag on the offensive line for an illegal formation, and refuse to call a pass interference when Deebo Samuel was reportedly impeded. According to First Sportz, all of these calls agitated the crowd at Levi’s Stadium, with chants of “Refs you suck” erupting throughout the stadium.

Overall, most of the reactions made the Draymond Green-Tyron Smith comparison. A few called the chokehold wrong. For now, it remains to be seen whether any NFL athletes will discuss the issue in the coming days.

Before you go, remember to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Silas Demary Jr.