Detroit’s Ndamukong Suh Wins Suspension Appeal, Will Play Wild Card Game at Dallas on Sunday

It was the two stomps (or kind of accidental steps? But was it an accident?) heard 'round the world. Or, at least heard and seen by fans watching the Detroit Lions vs the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

In the teams' final regular season game, Ndamukong Suh stepped on quarterback Aaron Rodgers' leg after he'd just returned to the field after a leg injury-- prompting many to speculate Suh had done it on purpose.

At the time there was no flag on the play, but on Monday, the NFL handed down a one game suspension to Suh.

According to the Detroit Free Press, the NFL deemed Suh's actions intentional. The league did not specifically cite past violations, but the history of disciplinary actions he's incurred may have played a role.

NFL vice president of football operations, Merton Hanks, wrote a letter to Suh explaining the punishment:

"You did not respond in the manner of someone who had lost his balance and accidentally contacted another player who was lying on the ground. This illegal contact, specifically the second step and push off with your left foot, clearly could have been avoided."

 

Suh appealed the suspension.

On Tuesday, Independent arbitrator Ted Cottrell made the decision to repeal Suh's suspension and instead fine him $70,000 for the incident.

Suh, deemed the "heart and soul" of the Lions' defense, will take the field in the wild card playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, airing at 4:40 p.m. on Fox.