Ndamukong Suh's One-Game Suspension Overturned, Fined $70K

Ndamukong Suh's one-game suspension for stepping on Aaron Rodgers' leg during a Week 17 game against the Green Bay Packers has been overturned by the league. He will be fined 70K. 

Continue for updates. 

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Suh's Suspension Overturned  

Tuesday, Dec. 30

Ndamukong Suh will play against the Dallas Cowboys after all. The NFL released a statement stating that Suh's suspension was overturned and his fine has been reduced:

"

Ted Cottrell , the hearing officer in the appeal of Ndamukong Suh of the Detroit Lions of his one - game suspension, has reduced the discipline to a $ 70, 000 fine.

[...]

Suh is now eligible to play in Detroit’s Wild Card playoff game on Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys.

"

Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press initially reported the news. 

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Suh Suspended One Game For Stepping on Aaron Rodgers

Monday, Dec. 29

Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh has been suspended for this week's Wild Card Round matchup against the Dallas Cowboys after stepping on Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers in Sunday's 30-20 loss.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network passed along the information, relayed from a league spokesperson:

The NFL should process Suh's appeal before the Lions' Wild Card game in Dallas. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Ted Cottrell, a former longtime NFL defensive coordinator, will hear the appeal. The decision is expected shortly, according to Pro Football Talk:

Cottrell previously overturned a one-game suspension for Ed Reed in 2012, via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk.

"You did not respond in the manner of someone who had lost his balance and accidentally contacted another player who was lying on the ground," NFL vice president of football operations Merton Hanks said in a letter, per Marc Sessler of NFL.com. "This illegal contact, specifically the second step and push off with your left foot, clearly could have been avoided."

Suh, 27, stepped on Rodgers' calf as he was on the ground following a fourth-quarter completion to Jordy Nelson. Though he was not flagged on the play, additional replays made the act look more malicious. Suh appeared to back up onto Rodgers' ankle and calf, which he'd injured earlier in the game, and linger there to put his weight down.

"I didn't see it live, I didn't see it on the JumboTron, but from what I'm told, I'm told it was ridiculous," Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy told reporters. "There's no place for that. That's where I'm at with it. I don't understand it, frankly."

Rodgers angrily swiped at Suh after the play and immediately complained to the nearby official. The MVP candidate has been dealing with a strained calf since a Week 16 win over the Buccaneers and briefly left Sunday's game after aggravating the injury. He returned midway through the third quarter, scoring two second-half touchdowns as he led the Packers to their fourth straight NFC North championship.

"He'll probably say it was an accident, he was getting blocked into him," Rodgers told reporters. "That's what [referee] Walt Anderson said. But we'll see."

While most players would likely get the benefit of the doubt in this situation, Suh's reputation for questionable on-field actions precedes him. He's been punished multiple times for dirty tactics, including hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines and a two-game suspension in 2011. The suspension also resulted from an incident against the Packers, when Suh stepped on the arm of guard Evan Dietrich-Smith.

ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert adds insight to the league's decision:

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Suh’s suspension is not for the act itself, but for its addition to the accumulation of prior offenses. Thats’ how NFL discipline works.

— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) December 29, 2014"

Should his latest punishment stand, Suh will be the second Lions player in as many weeks to be held out of an important game. Longtime center Dominic Raiola was suspended for Sunday's loss to the Packers after stomping on Bears defensive tackle Ego Ferguson in Week 16.

Follow Tyler Conway (@tylerconway22) on Twitter