The NFL has handed down the punishment on Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict for his illegal hit on Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown at the end of Saturday’s NFL wildcard game. Burfict will be suspended for the first three games of the 2016 NFL season without pay.
The NFL has said that one of the reasons for the three game suspension is the fact that Burfict is a repeat offender. NFL Vice President of football operations Merton Hanks handed down the suspension on Burfict. Hanks’ ruled that Burfict’s hit “placed his opponent at unnecessary risk of injury and should have been avoided.”
Burfict has announced that he plans to appeal the suspension. Burfict is a repeat offender and if the suspension is upheld it will cost Burfict just over $500,000 next year. This would bring his total amount of money lost to nearly $650,000 since 2014 in fines and money lost via suspension.
Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis stuck by Burfict’s side saying, “It didn’t go over the edge” when talking about the hit. “Unfortunately, he can’t have that kind of blow with a guy that’s receiving a pass. It didn’t go over the edge.” Lewis emphasized; “I don’t think it’s over the line, I think it’s part of what football is now. And you have to learn to play within the scope of what football is right now.”
Vontaze Burfict has been suspended for the first three games of the 2016 regular-season, per @NFLfootballinfo
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 12, 2016
On Monday Adam “Pacman” Jones was disappointed with Brown. Jones had said he faked it. “Antonio Brown was not hurt. I know he was faking it.” “He deserved a Grammy award for that, I know if you just got knocked out, you ain’t going to be able to wink and tell me you’re OK.”
Sources tell me "very likely" Ben Roethlisberger (shoulder) plays Sunday at Denver, but "not looking good" for Antonio Brown (concussion).
— bob holtzman (@Bob_Holtzman) January 12, 2016
Meanwhile, Antonio Brown is questionable to play next week after the Steelers announced that he suffered a concussion. The Steelers might be without their top receiever when they go to Denver to play the Broncos.
Also injured on Saturday was Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, but there is a much better chance that he will play in the divisional round playoff game.
