Former Tennessee defensive back Rashaan Gaulden is still explaining a heat-of-the-moment action that landed him in some hot water last season.
That action, of course, is when he flipped Alabama fans two middle fingers during the teams' October meeting. Gaulden's pair of one-finger salutes came after the Volunteers scored a defensive touchdown, down 28-0 at the time, in a 45-7 loss.
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Gaulden on Tennessee's pro day on Monday said several NFL teams asked him why he did it. While he said he hopes not to be remembered for that single act, he didn't shy away from it, saying he flipped the bird because "I hate Alabama."
Vols DB Rashaan Gaulden on NFL teams asking him about his viral salute. “I hate Alabama. That’s just the way it is ... but I dont want to be remembered for that at Tennessee. I feel like I made a lot of plays.” pic.twitter.com/FHXUuTGcF8
— Jesse Simonton (@JesseReSimonton) March 19, 2018
Say this for Gaulden: He was refreshingly candid when explaining himself. And honestly, it's not so bizarre when considering the frustration of Tennessee's season, coupled with its historic rivalry with Alabama.
Still, Gaulden might be better off keeping his fingers to himself when he takes the next step to the NFL.
