The NFL is suspending Denver Broncos veteran safety Kareem Jackson for four games after his hit on Minnesota Vikings quarterback Josh Dobbs. As the NFL begins to change to a mummified version of what it used to be, defensive players can’t play physically anymore.
NFL suspends Denver Broncos safety Kareem Jackson four games
After coming back from a previous two-game suspension, the NFL has announced that Broncos safety Kareem Jackson will be suspended for another four games after his hit on Minnesota Vikings quarterback Josh Dobbs in the first quarter.
The play in question wasn’t flagged, but the NFL reviewed the play on Monday afternoon.
Per the NFL’s official press release:
NFL Vice President of Football Operations Jon Runyan issued the suspension for a violation of Rule 12, Section 2, Article 10 (a) which states that “it is a foul if a player lowers his head and makes forcible contact with his helmet against an opponent.”
In a letter to Jackson, Runyan wrote:
“With 13:38 remaining in the first quarter, you were involved in a play that the League considers a serious violation of the playing rules. The video of the play shows that you lowered your head and made forcible contact to Vikings quarterback Josh Dobbs. You had an unobstructed path to your opponent and the illegal contact could have been avoided.
“Illegal acts that are flagrant and jeopardize the safety of players will not be tolerated. The League will continue to stress enforcement of the rules that prohibit using your helmet to make forcible contact with your opponent. On the play in question, you lowered your head and delivered a forceful blow to the shoulder and head/neck area of an opponent when you had time and space to avoid such contact. You could have made contact with your opponent within the rules, yet you chose not to.”
Under the NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, Jackson is expected to appeal the suspension. He appealed his previous suspension, leading to it being reduced to two games.
With Jackson now set to miss this week’s game against the Cleveland Browns, Denver has to have hope that they’ll get safety P.J. Locke back from an injury that held him out this past week against the Minnesota Vikings.