Ndamukong Suh's Two-Game Suspension Upheld After Appeal

Ndamukong Suh's Appeal Of Suspension Is Denied

On Thanksgiving day, Detroit Lions DT Ndamukong Suh was ejected from the game against the Green Bay Packers for stomping on a Packers offensive linemen. Because Suh has a history with personal fouls and fines, we expected a suspension and that's exactly what the NFL did suspending Suh for two games.

He appealed his suspension this week with Art Shell, who was jointly appointed by the players and the league, and that appeal has been denied, according to the Lions website.

Some thought Suh's appeal could be successful in reducing his suspension from one to two games but ultimately that's not the case and I think the league made the right move here. Suh is a repeat offender and he made an egregious error in front of one of the biggest broadcasts of the year for the NFL. He needed to be punished.

Now the question becomes how the 7-4 Lions can fare in his absence. Check out SB Nation's Pride of Detroit for more on that.

Ndamukong Suh Will Appeal Two-Game Suspension

As expected, Ndamukong Suh will appeal his two-game suspension, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The Detroit Lions lineman was suspended earlier on Tuesday for stomping on Green Bay Packers offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith during Thursday's game.

Suh reportedly called NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Sunday to apologize about the incident. He also apologized for his milquetoast postgame comments in which he attempted to pass the incident off as simply losing his balance.

Whether or not the appeal is successful, though, Suh should be able to play on Sunday when the Detroit Lions play at the New Orleans Saints. Appeals generally take about 10 days to be sorted out and players do not have to serve their suspensions during the appeal. Assuming Suh can play on Sunday, he could still miss a home game against the Minnesota Vikings and potentially a road game against the Oakland Raiders on Dec. 18. Either way, he should be back on the field in time for the Lions' two final games, the last of which is at Green Bay on Jan. 1.

Follow this StoryStream for the latest updates. For more insight and analysis, be sure to check out Lions blog Pride of Detroit.

Ndamukong Suh Suspension Will Cost Lions Star More Than Just Money

The lasting impression from the NFL's slate of Thanksgiving Day games was, unfortunately, Ndamukong Suh's stomp. As many good story lines as there were, that little moment is the one that casual fans are most likely to remember. Suh was suspended two games, which will cost him about $160,000, but this may have cost him more than money writes National Football Post's Andrew Brandt:

I, like many, gave Suh the benefit of the doubt, but on Thursday Suh lost my goodwill. Not only did he potentially cost his team the game – the stomp came after a crucial hold on third down – but he cost himself something much bigger: his reputation.

This is unfortunate for all parties involved. There's simply no denying that Suh is a force on the football field and is the kind of player the league would love to be able to market. But incidents like this are going to make it harder, as Brandt so clearly illustrates. 

For the latest news on Suh, be sure to follow this StoryStream. iFor more insight and analysis, be sure to check out Lions blog Pride of Detroit.

Ndamukong Suh Suspended Two Games Without Pay For Stomping Packers Player

The Detroit Lions have been informed that DT Ndamukong Suh has been suspended two games for stopping on a Green Bay Packers lineman last week, FOX's Jay Glazer reports. It was expected that Suh would receive at least a two-game suspension for his actions. Glazer reports he will not be paid in those two games. The Lions face the Saints and Vikings in the next two weeks.

Suh was tangled up with Packers offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith in last week's game and after pushing Dietrich-Smith's head into the ground, Suh got up and quickly stomped on Dietrich-Smith's arm. Suh was ejected from the game by the refs at that point. Here's a photo and video of the stomp.

It had been previously reported that the league might make Suh go through anger management classes but that's not part of the discipline from the league, Glazer reports.

The two-game suspension isn't excessive, in my opinion, considering Suh has been fined multiple times and leads the league in personal fouls since entering the NFL. Given his past history, we knew something like this was the next step.

It also doesn't help that immediately after the game on Thanksgiving Suh didn't show any remorse instead trying to justify his actions. He has since apologized publicly and reportedly called NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to apologize. Earlier this season he and the Lions coach had a sit down with Goodell to discuss his penalties.

For more on Suh and the Lions, visit Pride of Detroit and SB Nation Detroit.

Ndamukong Suh Apologized To Roger Goodell For Stomping Incident, According To Report

Ndamukong Suh called NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Sunday night to apologize for stomping on Evan Dietrich-Smith during Thursday's game between the Lions and Packers, an unnamed league source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Suh is still waiting for Goodell to decide what punishment he will receive for his actions, which resulted in his ejection from the game.

Schefter reported over the weekend that Suh would be suspended for at least two games, and most pundits seem to agree that he'll be docked at least one game. The Lions will face the Saints on Sunday Night Football in Week 13. Even if Suh is suspended, he'll be eligible in that game if he decides to appeal the decision. An appeal traditionally takes at least 10 days before it's heard, although there is no specific timetable in place.

Suh was widely criticized for his lack of remorse and outright denial of the incident immediately following the game, although he softened his stance the next day in a statement released on his Facebook page.

"My reaction on Thursday was unacceptable," the statement included. "I made a mistake, and have learned from it. I hope to direct the focus back to the task at hand -- by winning." 

For more on Suh, visit Lions blog Pride of Detroit.

Ndamukong Suh Expected To Be Suspended At Least Two Games, According To Report

Ndamukong Suh, the Detroit Lions' violent yet effective defensive tackle, is expected to be suspended at least two games for the stomp on Packers' lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith on Thanksgiving Day, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Suh has been vilified for his actions, and rightly so, and the precedent is there for a multiple-game suspension, based on Albert Haynesworth's five-game suspension for stomping on Andre Gurode in 2006. Although Suh didn't open up any stitches on Dietrich-Smith, and Suh has said he didn't intentionally stomp on his opponent, anyone who saw the video can see that what he did deserves a suspension.

Speculating about duration and gravity of punishment is rarely accurate, but Schefter must know something, as, despite his employer, he's one of the most well-sourced, well-respected journalists in football. Lions fans shouldn't expect the leader of their defense back anytime soon, which could spell doom for their playoff hopes.

For more on Suh and the Lions, visit Pride of Detroit and SB Nation Detroit.

Ndamukong Suh Apologizes For Stomp That Resulted In Ejection

In a nationally televised Thanksgiving Day matchup between the Packers and Lions, Detroit defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh was caught stomping the arm of a downed opponent. The stomp earned Suh an ejection and the ire of the public, with many calling him a dirty player. The situation was made even worse by a statement in which Suh proclaimed he accidentally stepped on Packers offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith.

Friday brought a change in tone from Suh. He apologized for the incident and deemed his actions unacceptable in a statement on Facebook.

In the past few hours, I have had time to reflect on yesterday's game and I want to sincerely apologize for letting my teammates down, the organization, and especially to my fans who look to me for positive inspiration.

Playing professional sports is not a game. It is a profession with great responsibility, and where performance on and off the field should never be compromised. It requires a calm and determined demeanor, which cannot be derailed by the game, referee calls, fans or other players.

I want to reiterate my commitment to working to become a better player, and professional-on and off the field. My reaction on Thursday was unacceptable. I made a mistake, and have learned from it. I hope to direct the focus back to the task at hand - by winning.

Suh still faces discipline from the league and may be suspended for at least a game, if not more. Video of the incident can be found here.

Check out our Packers blog, Acme Packing Company, for more on the Packers and head on over to Pride of Detroit for more on the Lions.

Ndamukong Suh's 'Stomp' Explanation Doesn't Fly With Packers

The Green Bay Packers aren't buying Ndamukong Suh's explanation that he merely lost his balance and didn't intentionally pin Evan Dietrich-Smith to the ground before stomping on his arm during the Detroit Lions' loss on Thursday.

"That's (expletive)," guard T.J. Lang said, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. "He clearly had Evan by the face mask pinned to the ground. His explanation is crap. There's no room for that. It's a dumb penalty. He hurt his own team today."

Packers tight end Andrew Quarless said he would have retaliated had he been on the field. "He was lucky I wasn't on the field," he said. "Lucky. I'm a New York guy. I don't go for that stuff. It was very unnecessary. I can understand you might get in a scuffle, but you never stomp on a guy. That's like hitting a guy when he's down. You don't do things like that. I was this close to running on the field."

Dietrich-Smith, for what it's worth, seems to be taking the incident in stride. "We're just football players out there playing football," he said. "Sometimes things happen. I don't know what drove him to do what he did. I can't say much else."

Suh's explanation from Thursday's post-game press conference:

"I was on top of a guy being pulled down and trying to get up off the ground, which is why you see me pushing his helmet down," Suh said. "As I'm getting up, I'm getting pushed so I'm getting myself unbalanced. ... With that a lot of people are going to interpret it as or create their own storylines, ... but I know what I did, and the man upstairs knows what I did."

Here's the video one more time:

That video -- combined with Suh's lack of contrition after the game -- has prompted a lot of speculation that he'll ultimately be suspended. Mike Pereira, the NFL's former Vice President of Officiating who currently serves as an analyst for FOX Sports, wrote late Thursday in a column for FOX Sports that he thinks it's already a foregone conclusion: "The question won't be if the NFL will suspend Suh, but when - and for how many games."

Ndamukong Suh Denies Intentionally Stomping On Player During Thanksgiving Matchup

Ndamukong Suh was ejected in the third quarter of the Detroit Lions matchup with the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving Day after stomping on a downed opponent during a scrum. Suh was clearly seen jamming his foot down on Evan Dietrich-Smith's arm right in front of the referee, and was flagged for a personal foul while being ejected from the game. Now, Suh faces discipline from the league, either in the form of a fine, at best, or a suspension.

For his part, Suh denies intentionally stomping on Dietrich-Smith, instead saying he was off-balance and trying to walk away from the situation.

"I was on top of a guy being pulled down and trying to get up off the ground, which is why you see me pushing his helmet down," Suh said. "As I'm getting up, I'm getting pushed so I'm getting myself unbalanced. ... With that a lot of people are going to interpret it as or create their own storylines, ... but I know what I did, and the man upstairs knows what I did."

Suh's explanation might be believable ... but let's go to the photo.

Via Will Brinson

The photo makes this quote from Suh interesting, as well.

" ... If I see a guy stepping on somebody I feel like they're going to lean into it and forcefully step on that person or stand over that person. I'm going in the opposite direction to where he's at."

You can check out the video of the incident and judge whether the stomp was intentional for yourself.

Check out our Packers blog, Acme Packing Company, for more on the Packers and head on over to Pride of Detroit for more on the Lions. Here's the entire Thanksgiving day football schedule and all the NFL odds and lines for the Week 12 games.

VIDEO: Ndamukong Suh Ejected After Stomping Packers Player

The Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers are meeting in Detroit for the Lions annual Thanksgiving football game and already we've seen a pair of ejections. First, it was the Packers' Pat Lee who got kicked out for fighting and now in the third quarter the Lions' Ndamukong Suh has been ejected.

Suh and Packers guard Evan Dietrich-Smith got tangled up on the ground and it appeared Suh was holding Dietrich-Smith's head into the ground. The officials came to break it up and replays show that Suh stands up and clearly kicks Dietrich-Smith, which is ultimately the reason he was ejected.

This is a massive loss for the Lions as Suh is easily the best player on the defense, and among the best in the entire NFL. Suh has gained a reputation as a dirty player for multiple illegal hits and even recently met with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to clear the air on some of those hits but apparently that didn't help in this situation.

Bad news for the Lions. The'yre trailing the Packers, 7-0, and they just lost their best player.

Check out our Packers blog, Acme Packing Company, for more on the Packers and head on over to Pride of Detroit for more on the Lions. Here's the entire Thanksgiving day football schedule and all the NFL odds and lines for the Week 12 games.