Getty Images

Panthers safety Eric Reid was ejected from Thursday night’s loss to the Steelers, which was unsurprising to anyone who saw him drill Ben Roethlisberger in the head long after Roehtlisberger’s knee hit the ground on his feet-first slide. Unsurprising, that is, to anyone other than Reid and his coach.

Reid said after the game that he was unaware that ejections are a thing in the NFL.

“I didn’t even know you could be ejected,” Reid said. “The referees told me I was targeting him, which I disagree with.”

It’s hard to fathom how an NFL player could not know that ejections exist in the NFL, and hits like Reid’s are exactly the kinds of plays that often result in ejections. But Panthers head coach Ron Rivera didn’t agree with the ejection, either.

“I don’t think that was warranted, I really don’t. I don’t think he hit him hard enough to eject him,” Rivera said. “They are trying to protect the quarterbacks, and he was high.”

Reid will certainly be fined, and possibly suspended.