Will Ndamukong Suh's Past Cost Him Playoff Game After Stepping on Aaron Rodgers?

The littered past of Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh makes it hard to fathom his two-step on the leg of Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was an innocent-minded accident, and even harder to believe the NFL offices won't take some kind of action in retaliation. 

The question is how far Roger Goodell and the NFL want to go in reprimanding a player that continues to put himself at the center of player safety issues.

UPDATE (1:45 p.m., 12/29): The NFL is suspending Suh for Sunday's playoff game against the Cowboys, per Adam Schefter of ESPN:

Suh's latest act of suspected villainy came in the fourth quarter of Detroit's 30-20 loss to Green Bay Sunday. After Rodgers had fallen to the ground following a completion, Suh appeared to first fall backward and accidentally step on Rodgers' lower leg. He then took another step back, connecting with Rodgers' leg for a second time. His second step certainly had a malicious look, considering Suh likely knew what he was stepping on and what appeared to be a conscious decision to transfer his weight back onto Rodgers' leg.

Clearly, Rodgers perceived the step as intentional. He was visibly upset almost immediately, pushing Suh as he left the area. 

It will be difficult to truly determine intent. There exists a hint of subtly to the act that separates it from Suh's past transgressions. But if Goodell deems the action intentional, it's certainly possible—and potentially likely—the NFL will take drastic measures and suspend Suh for Detroit's trip to Dallas for the NFC Wild Card Round. 

Peter King reported on NBC's Football Night in America that the league will review the incident.

The process will require Goodell to consider both the individual act and Suh's lengthy past to determine punishment. Since entering the NFL as the No. 2 overall pick in 2010, Suh has been disciplined for player safety violations seven times. 

He was fined twice as a rookie, thanks to illegal hits on quarterbacks Jake Delhomme and Jay Cutler. During the 2011 preseason, his roughing the passer penalty on Andy Dalton drew a third fine. 

The incidents have only ratcheted up in violence.

Suh's stomp on former Packers guard Evan Dietrich-Smith on Thanksgiving in 2011 resulted in a two-game suspension. Exactly a year later, Suh was fined for his whiplash connection to the groin area of Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub. 

The NFL docked Suh $100,000 early last season for an unnecessary and reckless low block on Minnesota Vikings center John Sullivan. He later received fines for a helmet-to-chest hit on Cleveland Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden and for a throat slash gesture made during a loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

	Act	Opponent	Result
2010	Roughing the QB	Browns	Fine
2010	Personal Foul	Bears	Fine
2011	Roughing the QB	Bengals	Fine
2011	Stomping	Packers	Suspension
2012	Kick	Texans	Fine
2013	Illegal Low Block	Vikings	Fine
2013	Helmet to Chest	Browns	Fine
2013	Throat Slash Gesture	Buccaneers	Fine
2014	Step	Packers	?

Suh's two-step on Rodgers certainly can't be labeled as egregious as Dominic Raiola's obvious stomp of Chicago Bears defensive tackle Ego Ferguson in Week 16. Raiola, who also has a past of safety violations, was suspended for Detroit's loss to the Packers. Video evidence of the play showed clear intent to harm a defenseless player.

The Packers certainly took issue with Suh's less obvious act Sunday.

"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," head 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 wasn't as willing to directly address the situation.

"We'll look at the film," Rodgers told reporters. "He'll probably say it was an accident, he was getting blocked into him, that's what (referee) Walt Anderson said. We'll see what happens."

Proving intent will be a hurdle, but it's worth noting that Suh was still fined large amounts of money for his kick to Schaub's groin and his low block on Sullivan. Direct intent to injure couldn't be proved in either case, but the NFL still levied severe punishments. 

Another fine wouldn't send much of a ripple. Suh, a looming free agent, will make more in his next signing bonus than the NFL could ever imagine fining him.

A suspension, on the other hand, would make it even more unlikely that the Lions win their first road playoff game since 1957 (0-9 since). Detroit is preparing to take on DeMarco Murray, the NFL's leading rusher in 2014, in the first round of the postseason. Not having Suh available would obviously be a huge blow.

Had this incident involved any player besides Suh, the discussion today is probably centered around a small fine. But Suh's extensive history of safety violations has eliminated any benefit of the doubt, and sets the NFL up with a difficult decision on whether a suspension is necessary to send another strong message to one of the league's most consistent safety offenders. 

It would be a shame—but also very fitting—if Suh's last game as a member of the Lions is spent watching from the sidelines because of suspension he brought on himself. Again. 

Zach Kruse covers the NFC North for Bleacher Report. 

Follow @zachkruse2