Ndamukong Suh's latest infraction netted the Detroit Lions defensive tackle a $31,500 fine after he hit Cleveland Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden in what the league has declared an illegal hit despite Suh not getting flagged for it. He'll have the chance to plead his case as the NFL has invited him to the league offices to chat about the fine.
Suh, who was recently fined $100,000 after losing an appeal of a Week 1 blindsiding block on Minnesota Vikings center John Sullivan, has been invited to go to New York to talk to members of the league face-to-face, according to CBS Sports. According to the report, Suh will get to explain to the league why he feels as though he shouldn't be fined for the hit.
Suh is a repeat offender, so the league has come down on him hard after his last two infractions, as commissioner Roger Goodell has made it a personal goal to severely punish repeat offenders as a way of making the game safer and deterring players from severely injuring other players as steep consequences weigh on their shoulders if it happens.
Suh was invited to New York to discuss how to change his style of play with league officials two years ago, but he's still wound up in hot water plenty of times since then, so there's no telling if this will actually change the way he plays or if the league will opt to lift the levy.
"I am very appreciative of the opportunity to sit and speak with the commissioner and his staff to clarify a few questions about my play, and the game in general," Suh said at the time, according to CBS Sports. "I have gained a better understanding how I need to play the game to help my team win."
Despite saying he gained a better understanding, Suh has found himself in trouble repeatedly, as he's been fined seven times in his career and was suspended two games for his infamous stomping incident in the past.
Still, many people have come to Suh's defense on this particular fine because it wasn't flagged on the field and most people didn't find it to be that severe of a hit, yet the league chose to fine him anyway...most likely based on his reputation.
"We're disappointed that Ndamukong was fined at all and that it wasn't reduced," Suh's agent Roosevelt Barnes told the Associated Press. "It is clear from the film, when you slow it down frame by frame, that Ndamukong was clearly in front of the player and that his head and shoulder, when he started off blocking him, were above the player's waist. But because Ndamukong left his feet, he was going to hit the ground and was going to get tangled on the lower part of the player's body."
CBS.com reports that since the Lions have a bye week in Week 9, it may be the perfect time for Suh to meet with the league.
Despite his reputation and his history, Suh remains one of the more dominant and hard-hitting defenders in the league. Through seven games, he has notched 3.5 sacks and 18 tackles.
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