Ndamukong Suh's bank account is getting a little slimmer again thanks to his latest infraction. The NFL has fined the oft-punished Detroit Lions defensive tackle a sum of $31,000 for his hit on Cleveland Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden during Sunday's 31-17 victory for the Lions.
According to ESPN, vice president of officiating Dean Blandino was looking into a hit that Suh put on Weeden during the course of the game, where Suh appeared to lower his head on one of the two hits he had on Weeden in Sunday's victory.
"We're going to aggressively enforce player safety fouls," Blandino said in an interview with NFL.com, according to ESPN. "When I looked at the play, I felt that he did make contact with the forehead-hairline. Lowered the head and made contact with the forehead-hairline. Not to the head or neck, but the rule does prohibit that contact to the body."
This levy is the seventh of Suh's career and second of the year after he was fined $100,000 for his Week 1 block on Minnesota Vikings center John Sullivan in which Suh dove from behind Sullivan and took out his knees. Suh appealed that fine, but it was overruled and he had to pay up. Now, he'll be paying more money for his hit on Weeden.
Suh told reporters prior to being fined the second time around that he felt like he was under constant scrutiny from the league as he's been fined heavily due to being a repeat offender and has even been suspended two games for past conduct.
"There's always going to be a microscope on me," Suh said per ESPN. "I think there's been a microscope on me since I was first drafted in 2010 because I was a first-round pick. But I think there is always going to be a microscope on me no matter where it is, from outside media, from the NFL to little kids to anybody."
Detroit (4-2) head coach Jim Schwartz said the scrutiny comes with the game due to the high-profile status of Suh.
"Particularly for high-profile players, and he certainly fits the bill as a high-profile player," Schwartz said when asked about the possibility of the league placing a scrutiny on players such as Suh. "There's a lot of things that happen within the game that are tough decisions. The game is played very, very quickly and those guys try to do the best they can. We leave the officiating to the officials and leave the administrating to the administrators."
Suh told ESPN early Wednesday that he was unaware that the NFL was looking into the play, and it was later announced that the league decided to suspend him. Suh said he didn't believe it was fair.
"Do I think it's fair? Nothing in life is fair," Suh said. "It's a double-edged sword. Being successful and having some success in the game is obviously going to garner attention, and I think that's something people deal with in negative ways and positive ways."
Suh and the Lions face a team that Suh was also punished against as Andy Dalton and the Cincinnati Bengals come to town Sunday. Suh was fined in the past for a hit he put on Dalton.
Suh has had a stellar defensive year despite getting in trouble on the field, as he's one of the more feared hitters in the league and has amounted 2.5 sacks and 15 tackles.
Suh will have to hope he can keep his game in check Sunday, otherwise he could find himself being fined for an eighth time.
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