Burfict suspension called ‘witch hunt’

Raiders defensive coordinator Paul Guenther strongly criticized the NFL’s decision to suspend linebacker Vontaze Burfict for the season in his weekly media session Thursday.

“I think it was a witch hunt from the beginning, quite honestly,” Guenther said. “Somebody in the league didn’t want him playing football and they got what they wanted.”

Burfict was suspended Sept. 30 following a helmettohelmet hit against the Colts’ Jack Doyle in Week 4. Burfict appealed the suspension, which was upheld Oct. 9 by appeals officer Derrick Brooks.

Burfict had been suspended twice in previous seasons and fined multiple times for onfield acts. The NFL said after the Doyle hit that it had suspended Burfict the rest of this season for “repeated violations of unnecessary roughness rules.”

The Raiders signed Burfict as a free agent in March partly at the urging of Guenther, who was Burfict’s linebackers coach and defensive coordinator for six seasons in Cincinnati. On Thursday, Guenther said the Raiders were unaware that one infraction could result in Burfict being banned for the season.

“Does it make any sense to sign a guy that after one infraction he’s going to get thrown out of the league for a year? No it doesn’t,” Guenther said. “So I think it’s very unfair. It’s unfair to our team. It’s unfair to Vontaze.”

In 2016, Burfict was suspended for three games for violations of safetyrelated playing rules. In 2017, he was suspended three games for a hit in a preseason game against the Chiefs.

In a letter to Burfict, NFL Vice President of Football Operations Jon Runyan wrote: “Following each of your previous rule violations, you were warned by me and each of the jointly appointed appeal officers that future violations would result in escalated accountability measures.”

Guenther on Thursday said he took exception to the lack of established guidelines for the length of suspensions for hits.

“There’s no standard there,” Guenther said. “That’s the issue I have. There’s nothing to (say), ‘Hey, next time you do this you’re gone for the year, maybe your career.’ I think that’s unfair. You can warn a guy. But put that in writing, ‘The next time this happens, you’re done.’ That’s where I have a problem. That’s unfair to the kid. It’s unfair to all the players around the league.”

Guenther added that the Raiders “are going to keep a close eye to make sure that everybody’s being held to the same standard as Vontaze was.” He said he believes teams could be less willing to sign Burfict next season given the length of this suspension, casting Burfict’s NFL future in doubt.

“How would you deal with it if you basically got your career taken away like that?” Guenther said. “He may not play football again, and that’s a tough thing.”

Injury report: Right tackle Trent Brown (calf ) and receiver Tyrell Williams (foot) did not practice Thursday. Tight end Darren Waller (foot) was limited after being a full participant Wednesday. Guard Gabe Jackson (knee), who said he hopes to make his season debut Sunday at Green Bay, was limited for a second consecutive day.