Smoke Monday ejected from Birmingham Bowl following targeting call during interception

Smoke Monday couldn’t escape a second targeting call, and the Auburn defensive back left the Birmingham Bowl early as he was flagged for a second time late in the third quarter.

Monday’s play came during an interception of Clayton Tune, by Nehemiah Pritchett, as he hammered a Houston player over the middle, as Pritchett turned up field with the ball. Monday was also flagged in the first half, but after review, he was allowed to stay in the game.

Monday had 5 tackles, including one for a loss, in the game.

Monday’s exit came after he decided to play in the bowl game even though he announced plans to leave for the NFL Draft. Monday explained why he decided to play even though Roger McCreary and Zakoby McClain opted out of the Birmingham Bowl.

“I’m playing because me personally, I love ball. I’m all about ball,” Monday said. “If I get to play an extra game, I want to do it. I want to go out with a win for these guys. I probably won’t play with these guys ever again. To go out like we did against Alabama, we played well, but we didn’t get the win. I want to go out with a win.”

Here’s a reaction to the targeting call:

And now Smoke Monday has been ejected for targeting for this hit… https://t.co/JeoVdc0iMO pic.twitter.com/3Wpb2L6GOq

— ✯✯✯✯✯ (@FTB_Vids_YT) December 28, 2021

They’re determined to call targeting on Smoke Monday today, apparently

— Tom Green (@Tomas_Verde) December 28, 2021

Smoke Monday and a Targeting Call.

A love story as old as time itself.

— Brooks Austin (@BrooksAustinSI) December 28, 2021

Smoke Monday was just hit with a targeting call and is ejected from the game. That’s brutal for Monday and Auburn.

Monday hit the receiver after the ball was picked off. The receiver becomes a defender and I just didn’t see that. And Auburn loses about 50 yards in field position

— Justin Hokanson (@_JHokanson) December 28, 2021

Auburn’s Smoke Monday is a great football player but that is textbook targeting & what they’re trying to eliminate from the game.

Crown of the helmet down, intent to end the other player’s day, and very well may have put himself at a higher risk of injury.

— Jordan Loperena (@JordanLoperena) December 28, 2021

Don’t have the numbers in front of me but would lay good money that Smoke Monday has set the NCAA record for targeting ejections by a single player over his career. It’s atleast 4 and I think probably closer to 6 for him.

— The Tailgate Tent🏈⛺️ (@CFBmaxs) December 28, 2021

If I’m a GM in the NFL Smoke Monday is at the top of my prospect list just because of his name. For sure future HOFer

— T-Matt (@sum1namedtyler) December 28, 2021

Smoke Monday went out doing what he loved ✊😤

he’s headhunting receivers in the big football field in the sky 🙏🙏

— VOL youngboys (@GetRitchDieRyan) December 28, 2021

Keith Farner

A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.