BLUE 1,026 Posted October 2, 2013 (edited) ESPN.com news services San Francisco 49ers safety Donte Whitner, who has revealed he was fined $21,000 by the league for a hit during last Thursday night's victory over the St. Louis Rams, said Wednesday he's dropping the "W" from his last name. "I actually put the paperwork in yesterday afternoon. Just waiting to get the paperwork out," he said in a conference call with the Houston media. "So from here on out until I retire, my name will be Donte Hitner, without the W." Earlier Wednesday, he had revealed his name change in a tweet. https://twitter.com/DonteWhitner/statuses/385420828718161920 His comments later in the day confirmed he was serious. He said he had considered the name change in the offseason but that his mother wouldn't go for it. Apparently, she has changed her mind. "I'm forever going to be her son and her little boy, so I have to listen to what she says," Whitner said. "After all of these hits and people talking about it, I asked her again three nights ago. She said, 'I don't have a problem with it, go ahead.' So I went ahead and did it yesterday." Whitner has been critical of the NFL's crackdown on hits and has said "it seems like on any big hit, they make the call on what the hit looks like." The safety, who also has suggested the NFL should use replay to determine if hits warrant penalties, said his name change is a protest against the league's mandate in "the right way." "I'm not out there head-hunting, hitting guys helmet to helmet. I want to show guys can hit hard and bring fear doing it the legal way," he said. "This is a tough game. This is a game for grown men. When we signed up for that, we all know that. If you don't want to play football, you don't want to be physical, you don't want to be hit, don't come around guys that like to hit. That's the game of football, just do it the right way." Whitner said he's not worried that his name change will make him a bigger target for flags and fines in the future. "You can continue to look at me, but if I'm doing it the right way, what can you do?" he said. Whitner said he was fined for his hit on Rams receiver Chris Givens in the end zone with just less than six minutes to play in the 49ers' 35-11 victory. He said he will appeal the fine because he "lowered my shoulder and went for the midsection, where the ball was." Whitner appeared to turn his shoulder into Givens in a successful attempt to knock the ball loose. He was called for unnecessary roughness. He has made up T-shirts with #LegalHitner on the front that he will sell to drum up support. He said he's produced about 125 T-shirts and will soon open for business. ESPN.com Texans reporter Tania Ganguli and information from The Associated Press was used in this report. Source: ESPN.com Edited October 5, 2013 by BLUE Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dutch 874 Posted October 2, 2013 The man is definitely feeling himself, 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tridentdawgpound 1,043 Posted October 2, 2013 HEIL HITNER! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sacks98 28 Posted October 3, 2013 Lol fans are going to have a field day with that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241 Posted October 3, 2013 Me being the sheep that I am will probably end up buying a shirt. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BJORN 679 Posted October 3, 2013 Pretty corny if you ask me. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NaTaS+ 958 Posted October 3, 2013 HEIL HITNER! I did nazi that coming... WtF, Donte. Dropping the "W" is protesting? 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JetsFan4Life 542 Posted October 3, 2013 Haha in the lineup card it'll say S Hitner. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dutch 874 Posted October 3, 2013 Trying to be like Ochocinco. Chad Johnson started that trend. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NaTaS+ 958 Posted October 3, 2013 Trying to be like Ochocinco. Chad Johnson started that trend. Except it wasn't to protest. I'm embarrassed for Donte Hitler. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Attyla the Hawk 197 Posted October 4, 2013 (edited) Some may say this will raise a fuhrer, but I think it will be all reich. Heil Neiners!! Edited October 4, 2013 by Attyla the Hawk Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cheese Head 11 Posted October 5, 2013 I think the name change is dumb as shit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AL_Royalty 489 Posted October 6, 2013 Eh, I'm all for it. I didn't like it when Chad did it, but that seemed a little more something that he created in the first place. Whitner didn't create the hit, and he isn't the first one to be pissed about it being taken out of the game. He was thinking of doing it before all this stuff happened this season, so Do what you do Dante. Do what you do. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dutch 874 Posted October 6, 2013 Eh, I'm all for it. I didn't like it when Chad did it, but that seemed a little more something that he created in the first place. Whitner didn't create the hit, and he isn't the first one to be pissed about it being taken out of the game. He was thinking of doing it before all this stuff happened this season, so Do what you do Dante. Do what you do. How did you not like it when Chad did it but approve Dante's lol? At the end of the day it's self promotion. Chad just happened to be the trend setter while Dante is following suit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AL_Royalty 489 Posted October 6, 2013 Eh, I'm all for it. I didn't like it when Chad did it, but that seemed a little more something that he created in the first place. Whitner didn't create the hit, and he isn't the first one to be pissed about it being taken out of the game. He was thinking of doing it before all this stuff happened this season, so Do what you do Dante. Do what you do. How did you not like it when Chad did it but approve Dante's lol? At the end of the day it's self promotion. Chad just happened to be the trend setter while Dante is following suit. Well I don't see it that way at all. Sure, it's self-promoting. It's not throwing a temper tantrum for being called on self-promoting though, which is what Chad was doing. He pulled that crap in a game and it didn't go over well with the league. He got all butt hurt and threw a hissy fit. Whitner is mad because of something game related. Compound that with the fact that his JOB is to HIT guys, and I'm ok with it. Chad's job was never to "Ocho-Cinco," and he didn't have to just remove a letter to be that either. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BC 331 Posted October 6, 2013 I think the name change is dumb as shit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vin+ 3,121 Posted October 6, 2013 Thanks, Obama. https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/386865922637438977 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oochymp 2,393 Posted October 6, 2013 Thanks, Obama. https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/386865922637438977 I would have thought that'd be a state government process (which are still up and going) but I guess the social security system is involved even if just for verification Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BC 331 Posted October 7, 2013 that's completely awesome Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted October 7, 2013 By the time it actually gets changed, he is going to totally be over this phase and regret it. Probably does already. Idiot. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oochymp 2,393 Posted October 7, 2013 I don't think he'd be able to put it on his jersey until next year anyway, if memory serves I think Ochocinco still had Johnson on his back for a season after his name change because of the NFL's agreement with Reebok (I'd imagine their current deal with Nike is essentially the same) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FartWaffles 1,857 Posted October 8, 2013 I don't think he'd be able to put it on his jersey until next year anyway, if memory serves I think Ochocinco still had Johnson on his back for a season after his name change because of the NFL's agreement with Reebok (I'd imagine their current deal with Nike is essentially the same) He could do it this year, but he'd have to buy off EVERY jersey of his that was already produced with "Whitner" on it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oochymp 2,393 Posted October 8, 2013 I don't think he'd be able to put it on his jersey until next year anyway, if memory serves I think Ochocinco still had Johnson on his back for a season after his name change because of the NFL's agreement with Reebok (I'd imagine their current deal with Nike is essentially the same) He could do it this year, but he'd have to buy off EVERY jersey of his that was already produced with "Whitner" on it. okay, I knew there was some steep penalty for it but I couldn't remember what it was, but the bottom line is it's not gonna be on his jersey this season no matter what Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BwareDWare94 723 Posted October 9, 2013 In other news: 49ers safety Donte Whitner has confirmed that he is, indeed, a moron. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
