Suspensions will be announced by Wednesday

[wiggins!]

From Chris Mortensen.....

The NFL will announce by Wednesday that effective this weekend that even first-time offenders face suspension for "devastating hits" and "head shots," according to Ray Anderson, the league's senior vice president of football operations.

more at halftime of MNF game.....

 

[IcyPatriot]

over reaction here ... I'm all for safety but knee jerk reactions will harm the game more than help it.

 

[aurakilla]

and ofcourse were gonna loose merriweather now

 

[Nikolai]

and ofcourse were gonna loose merriweather now

That's a pretty safe bet.

 

[blackglass3]

If there was just one big hit, it wouldn't be a huge deal. But since there were 4, you knew the press was going to go nuts Spygate style with it.

 

[juny]

Not surprising...like Rodney said last night, fines aren't going to change behavior, suspensions will.

sit down for 1 game seems like a fair punishment...hopefully they don't go over that.

 

[tombonneau]

Would we expect anything less than over reaction to media pressure from the Goodell Regime?

 

[BradyBranch39]

yet another clueless moment from Goodell and his moron staff

 

[Kimimar0]

Good move, a lot of former defensive players are actually endorsing this.

 

[Kontradiction]

If Meriweather gets suspended for a game, James Harrison had better get suspended for multiple games. One for each hit.

 

[blackglass3]

The way they made it sound, the rule will become effective this weekend. As in "Watch your asses Meriweather, Harrison, and Robinson".

I think they will just be fined.

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

Why are they suspending players for clean hits?

 

[Fencer]

Is this for hits that already occurred, or starting next weekend?

If they give Meriweather a big fine and say "If the new rules were in effect, he would have been suspended", that covers the fairness point.

The league has every right to say that football players have a duty to avoid hits particularly likely to severely injure an opponent, provided there's reasonable fairness in the matter.

 

[D-Money]

My guess is that it will be a warning.It cant be suspensions when u havent instituted that rule.

 

[godef]

and ofcourse were gonna loose merriweather now

No "first timer" suspensions from this past weeks action. The title is misleading; they are only announcing that first time suspensions will begin with thue upcoming week.

 

[WhiteWesWelker88]

you make announcements and giuve warnings before you suspend Roger R*******

 

[wiggins!]

Is this for hits that already occurred, or starting next weekend?

If they give Meriweather a big fine and say "If the new rules were in effect, he would have been suspended", that covers the fairness point.

The league has every right to say that football players have a duty to avoid hits particularly likely to severely injure an opponent, provided there's reasonable fairness in the matter.

I'm reading Anderson's comments in Morts piece right now. Its not linked on ESPN.com yet so i can't post it...(i'll obey rules!)

The way it seems is that Robinson, Harrison and Merriweather (the culprits from THIS PAST WKND) may get hit with suspensions to be announced by Wednesday....IF....they've already been in violation.

STARTING this weekend.....whether you're a first time offender or not.....you're subject to a suspension

That's how I read this.....

 

[juny]

the one article on ESPN implies suspensions will be handed out for this past weekend's games. one sentence was important -- they did not want to give the notion that you will get one free pass of a helmet-to-helmet hit before getting suspended. the article also pointed out that one of Harrison's hits this past weekend was "legal".

Knowing what we know today about concussions, suspensions are necessary but 1 game should be it.

 

[wiggins!]

Ray Anderson will be on with Mike and Mike on ESPN Radio and ESPN 2 tuesday morning at 930 to discuss.......should have a better understanding then.

 

[IcyPatriot]

Watching those hits there really is little difference between helmet contact and a great shot to the pads in the shoulder area. Players can get knocked down and out from either. Players will just attack the shoulder area harder and we'll see as many knockouts with perhaps more shoulder injuries.

This will be impossible to police and will be ineffective IMO.

This is the byproduct of more protection to the QB's who have more time to hit the slot receiver areas. Players can't knock the snot out of the QB's so they are knocking the snot out of their slot / RB receivers.

anyone who follows hockey understands this principle.