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By now, you have heard that Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh was ejected Thursday for stepping on Packers offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith (video). Of course, Suh says he shouldn’t have been tossed, because his foot was tangled with Dietrich-Smith (although the video shows otherwise). As Fox Sports analyst Troy Aikman aptly put it, “That’s an excellent block on [Dietrich-Smith's] part, and Ndamukong Suh doesn’t like it.” It was referee Terry McAuley’s second ejection in the game, with Packers cornerback Pat Lee being tossed before halftime for landing a punch (video).

The Suh ejection was for the kicking Dietrich-Smith. The league will review the entire video which shows Suh slamming Dietrich-Smith’s head to the turf a few times.

The NFL is mulling over a 1- or 2-game suspension for Suh, according to Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer. However, it would be an odd statement of priority if Suh is suspended for two games.

There were two multiple-game suspensions for an on-field incident in NFL history. Both incidents were far more serious than Suh’s conduct, so the precedent would be Suh has a one-game suspension on the way:

• 1986. Packers defensive lineman Charles Martin hit Bears quarterback Jim McMahon well after a pass, separating McMahon’s shoulder. Referee Jerry Markbreit ejected Martin, which was rare at the time for a non-fighting incident. Martin was suspended two games by commissioner Pete Rozelle.
• 2006. Titans defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth stomped on Cowboys offensive lineman Andre Gurode’s face. Referee Jerome Boger assessed a rare double personal foul and ejected Haynesworth. Gurode needed 30 stitches to close the wound caused by Haynesworth’s cleats.

The last suspension for an on-field incident was Dante Wesley’s flagrant hit in 2009 which resulted in a one-game suspension (Zebra Blog coverage).

Justice came swift for the Panthers Dante Wesley for his hit on Clifton Smith of the Buccaneers that we described as being like a runaway locomotive. (He was ejected for the hit with 10 seconds remaining in the second quarter.) We expected an announcement either today or tomorrow, but the NFL wasted no time in handing down judgment. He will be suspended without pay for next week’s game. The announcement from the NFL:

Defensive back Dante Wesley of the Carolina Panthers has been suspended without pay for one game by NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Ray Anderson for a flagrant violation of player safety rules.  Specifically, on a punt coverage play on Sunday, Wesley left his feet, launched himself and made shoulder and forearm contact with the neck and head area of Tampa Bay punt returner Clifton Smith, who had not caught or touched the ball and was in a defenseless posture.

The suspension will sideline Wesley for the Panthers’ game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, October 25.

In a letter to Wesley, Anderson wrote: “The playing rules (Rule 10, Section 1, Article 1) specifically provide that a member of the kicking team is prohibited from interfering with a receiver attempting to catch an airborne kick.  The prohibited contact in this case went well beyond simply interfering with the receiver.  Instead, by striking your defenseless opponent in the head and neck area, you committed an unnecessary and unnecessarily dangerous act that is specifically prohibited by the rules.”

Anderson added: “Your actions are of particular concern in light of the emphasis that our office has placed on developing and enforcing rules designed to protect players from injury, including head and neck injuries.  The safety of our players is paramount to all of us in the NFL.”

Week 6: Panthers at Buccaneers

Dante Wesley of the Panthers was ejected for a flagrant hit on kick returner Clifton Smith of the Buccaneers. Smith called for a fair catch, and Wesley flattened him to the turf long before the ball even got there. It was penalized as both fair-catch interference and a personal foul, however the fair-catch signal is irrelevant in the fact that this was a malicious hit on a defenseless receiver. (video) Smith appeared to be knocked unconscious by the hit.

The ball immediately bounced out of bounds, allowing for a bench-clearing conference to develop around Wesley. The officials indicated multiple post-play penalties by throwing hats (to indicate a second penalty after his flag had been thrown), however all of these penalties were picked up.

Wesley will certainly be fined heavily for the hit, and we think that a suspension is likely. The last suspension for an on-field incident was Elbert Mack of the Buccaneers, who laid a helmet-to-helmet hit on Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan. A suspension announcement would be likely on Tuesday.

As for the others involved in the brawl after the play, the league will be examining the videotape for those—particularly those who came off the sideline—to mete out fines later in the week.