Ron Rivera: Yannick Ngakoue hit that injured TE Logan Thomas was 'avoidable'

Washington Football Team head coach Ron Rivera was able to share some unexpected good news about tight end Logan Thomas on Monday. He told the media that an MRI didn't confirm a torn ACL in Thomas' knee, which everyone feared after he left Sunday's game, so his season might not be over after all.

However, that doesn't change how Rivera feels about the hit that caused the injury. Using the most diplomatic words possible, he said that he felt the hit was "avoidable."

Thomas was injured on a hit from Yannick Ngakoue during WFT's 17-15 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. On an Antonio Gibson run play early in the fourth quarter, Thomas shifted left down the line to block. Ngakoue went low and ended up hitting Thomas on the knee.

Thomas was immediately in pain and called the trainers over. While he was able to walk off under his own power, he didn't return to the game and was ruled out soon after. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Washington feared that Logan had torn his ACL and was done for the year.

While Rivera said on Monday that the MRI didn't confirm a torn ACL, he also emphasized that they don't know the full extent of Thomas' injury yet. It's still possible he could miss the final five games of the season, but they won't know until he undergoes more tests.

Fans say Ngakoue's hit was 'dirty'

Ngakoue going low generated a lot of social media chatter from fans who, like Rivera, thought the hit was completely avoidable. Some called the play "dirty," while others called for Ngakoue to be suspended, but they were all united by one thing: anger.

The NFL has not publicly commented about Ngakoue's hit on Thomas.