Oakland Raiders linebacker Vontaze Burfict has been suspended by the NFL for the rest of the season after a helmet-to-helmet shot during their match with the Indianapolis Colts.
Burfict’s hit on tight-end Jack Doyle saw him ejected from the game and the league have decided to take further action on the player, who has a renown disciplinary history.
The linebacker has been suspended for repeated violations of unnecessary roughness rules with immediate effect, without pay, and that includes any post-season games for the Raiders.
Oakland beat Indianapolis 21-24 on Sunday to improve their record to 2-2 and their next game is in London, against the Chicago Bears, at the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Burfict Suspended For Helmet-to-Helmet Shot on Jack Doyle
NFL Vice President of Football Operations Jon Runyan issued the suspension to Burfict for the violation of Rule 12, Section 2, Article 10, which states that: “It is a foul if a player lowers his head to initiate and make contact with his helmet against an opponent.”
The 29-year-old ended a seven-year stay with the Cincinnati Bengals to move to Oakland in the off-season. During his time with the Bengals, he received 13 suspensions and fines and two of those suspensions were for illegal hits.
Raiders head coach Jon Gruden told the press after the game that he thought it was a flag and that he would wait and see what would happen with Burfict.
The linebacker now has three days to appeal the decision to suspend him for the rest of the season.