Burfict’s suspension reduced to three

Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict was not vindicated in the appeal of his suspension for an illegal hit on Kansas City Chiefs fullback Anthony Sherman during a pre-season game. But he did secure a reduction of his penalty; appeals officer James Thrash cut Burfict’s suspension from five to three games.

Thrash heard Burfict’s appeal Tuesday, and the ruling was announced Wednesday.

Burfict will miss games against the Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans and Green Bay Packers. He can return to the Bengals’ active roster Sept. 25 and play Oct. 1 at Cleveland.

This will be the second straight season in which Burfict is suspended for the first three games. He was suspended for the start of last season for violations of the sport’s player safety rules, including a hit on Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown during the 2015 AFC playoffs.

“This is not your first offence with respect to illegal hits to defenceless players; to the contrary, this incident is consistent with your pattern of egregious safety-related violations including your hit on a defenceless player during the 2015 wild card game and your hit against a Baltimore tight end away from the play on January 3, 2016. … When players violate the rules intended to protect player safety on a repeated basis, and particularly when the violations carry with them a significant risk of injury to an opposing player … you must be held accountable for this continuing unacceptable conduct,” Jon Runyan, the National Football League’s vice-president of football operations, wrote to Burfict of this suspension.

Burfict hit Sherman as the fullback was running a pass pattern. That qualifies Sherman as a defenceless player under NFL rules, and he cannot be hit in the head and neck area. The hit came as the football was thrown downfield toward another receiver.

Burfict had contended that he did not hit Sherman in the head and that the hit was legal. The Bengals had backed Burfict on that.