Burfict suspended for rest of season for illegal hit
Oakland Raiders linebacker Vontaze Burfict on Monday was suspended for the rest of the season for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Indianapolis Colts tight end Jack Doyle that is the most severe punishment in NFL history for an onfield infraction.
Burfict will miss the final 12 games of the season and any playoff games for “repeated violations of unnecessary roughness rules.” He has been suspended three times in his career for hits violating the league’s player safety rules.
Burfict has the right under the collective bargaining agreement to appeal the punishment in the next three days. He had one of his previous suspensions reduced from five games to three games on an appeal in 2017.
It is that history that led to the most severe punishment the NFL has handed out when it comes to player safety, topping the five games Tennessee’s Albert Haynesworth got in 2006 for kicking and stomping on Dallas center Andre Gurode’s face, leading to 30 stitches.
Burfict had served two three-game suspensions already in his career and had been warned about severe punishment for future infractions.
“There were no mitigating circumstances on this play,” NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan said in a letter to Burfict announcing the suspension. “Your contact was unnecessary, flagrant and should have been avoided. For your actions, you were penalized and disqualified from the game.
“Following each of your previous rule violations, you were warned by me and each of the jointlyappointed appeal officers that future violations would result in escalated accountability measures. However, you have continued to flagrantly abuse rules designated to protect yourself and your opponents from unnecessary risk.”
“Your extensive history of rules violations is factored into this decision regarding accountability measures.”
The suspension is without pay, costing Burfict more than $1.1 million in salary and per game activeroster bonuses.
Burfict was flagged for unnecessary roughness and ejected from the Raiders’ game against the Colts on Sunday after a blow to Doyle’s head early in the second quarter.
Bears won’t say on QB Trubisky
Chicago quarterback Mitch Trubisky suffered a dislocated left shoulder and slightly torn labrum against Minnesota but does not need surgery, according to media reports.
ESPN also said that Trubisky likely will not play against Oakland at London on Sunday after being injured against the Vikings. Chase Daniel replaced Trubisky after he left the game against the Vikings.
Bears coach Matt Nagy would not confirm the report.
Asked if Trubisky might play Sunday, Nagy said, “We’re working through it.”
Chicago is off the week after the Oakland game, so Trubisky potentially could have three weeks to recover before the Bears play host to New Orleans on Oct. 20. If Trubisky were to play in that game, he would have to be cleared to practice the preceding Wednesday.
Odds and ends
Denver linebacker Bradley Chubb, the fifth overall pick in last year’s NFL draft, has a torn ACL and is done for the season. Chubb was injured in the Broncos’ 26-24 loss to Jacksonville on Sunday although he finished the game and forced a fumble on the last series. Chubb had 12½ sacks last season and one Sunday. … New York Giants rookie linebacker Ryan Connelly tore his right anterior cruciate ligament in Sunday’s game against Washington and will miss the rest of the season. An MRI exam confirmed the initial diagnosis of the tear, and he will require surgery. … Arizona released starting safety D.J. Swearinger, 28, who played in all four games this year and was fourth on the team with 28 tackles. He also has played for the Texans, Tampa Bay and Washington during his seven-year career. The Cardinals (0-3-1) are off to a poor start, and the secondary has given up several big plays. … New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold was cleared by doctors for non-contact activities, but his availability for the Jets’ game at Philadelphia remains uncertain. Coach Adam Gase said Darnold can begin throwing footballs at practice this week but can’t yet lift weights as he continues to recover from a bout with mononucleosis that has sidelined him the last two games.