Did Dabo Swinney cross the line?

Despite entering the fourth quarter with a 17-7 lead against Miami on Saturday, Clemson was unable to exit Hard Rock Stadium with their third ACC win. The Hurricanes outscored the Tigers 10-0 in the final 15 minutes of regulation, came up with a crucial fourth down stop in the second overtime and picked up their first win in ACC play without their starting quarterback (didn’t suit up due to injuries).

However, the story of the night had nothing to do with what occurred on the field, but rather what was said during Clemson’s post-game press conference. When Clemson head coach, Dabo Swinney, was asked if the Tigers had a sports psychologist at their disposal, Swinney stated “We’ve got one. He’s probably on suicide watch right now.” To make matters even worse, Swinney felt inclined to chuckle as he delivered that inconsiderate statement, which immediately told me that this was a laughing matter to the 53-year-old head coach.

Look, no one saying that you can’t joke around after a disheartening loss, but you better make sure that the punch line is appropriate. Unfortunately, Swinney fell short of that goal and made headlines for all the wrong reasons as a result. Suicide is one of the most sensitive topics in the world and needs to be taken seriously at all times. Sure, you may be satisfied with your current mental state, but there are thousands of individuals who must fend off the demons in their heads to reach a place of happiness. You have no business bringing up the topic if you aren’t prepared to discuss it in a mature/respectful manner. In my humble opinion, Swinney deserves all of the criticism he’s been receiving for making a mistake of that magnitude. Next time, take a quick second to analyze your joke before you tell it to the media, coach Swinney.