Denver Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib has been suspended two games without pay by the NFL for his role in the fight that occurred Sunday against the Oakland Raiders.
Talib will appeal his two-game suspension, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.
The man handing down the suspension, NFL Vice President of Football Operations Jon Runyan, wrote the following in a letter to Talib explaining the suspension:
“The series of flagrant violations for which you are being disciplined began less than three minutes into the game. First, while competing on the field of play, you deliberately ripped your opponent’s chain from his neck just as you did last year when you played against him. Then, when the two of you went to the ground after a subsequent play, you aggressively removed his helmet and threw it in his direction, endangering him and various sideline personnel in the near vicinity. Finally, once you were momentarily separated from your opponent, you again engaged him and threw a punch…Such actions have no place in this game, engender ill will between teams, and lead to further confrontations.”
Talib is suspended for this Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins and the following week against the New York Jets. Talib will be eligible to return to the Broncos’ active roster on Monday, Dec. 11.
Michael Crabtree was also suspended for two games without pay for his involvement in the altercation and will appeal.
Runyan’s letter to Crabtree echoed a similar sentiment:
“The series of flagrant violations for which you are being disciplined began with 12:31 remaining in the first quarter – less than three minutes into the game. First, you punched a Broncos opponent Chris Harris in the midsection, resulting in him being removed from the game. Then, on the subsequent play, you blocked a different Broncos opponent (Aqib Talib) into the sidelines beyond the yellow media border, well after the play was over. Your actions triggered a melee and endangered various sideline and League personnel, including one of our Game Officials who was injured trying to maintain control of the situation. Finally, during the ensuing altercation, you grabbed and twisted that same opponent’s facemask and threw a punch at him…Such actions have no place in this game, engender ill will between teams, and lead to further confrontations.”
Crabtree is suspended for games against the New York Giants and Kansas City Chiefs and will be eligible to return to the Raiders’ active roster on Monday, Dec. 11 following the team’s Dec. 10 game against Kansas City.
