The four-game punishment of Broncos cornerback Kareem Jackson was upheld.
The league upheld safety Kareem Jackson of the Denver Broncos, who struck quarterback Joshua Dobbs of the Minnesota Vikings, a four-game penalty on Tuesday.
Following Jackson’s appeal of the first ruling, NFL or NFL Players Association-appointed hearing judge Derrick Brooks refused to shorten the ban.
Jackson will not play in the Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Los Angeles Chargers, or Cleveland Browns games. Week 16’s Christmas Eve home game versus the New England Patriots is when he can make a comeback.
Jackson’s four-game punishment was shortened to two games earlier in the season after Brooks filed an appeal. Jackson’s first game back from his ban was on Sunday night versus the Vikings with the Broncos.
After Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson received the catch from center and tossed the ball to Dobbs, the play ended with Jackson lowering his helmet and hitting the running back. The play happened less than two minutes into the game on Sunday.
Dobbs was checked for a concussion after fumbling, but he was allowed to return to the game.On Monday morning, Jackson received notification of his suspension from NFL Vice President for Football Operations Jon Runyan.
“On the play on question, you dropped your head & delivered a forceful blow to an opponent’s shoulder and head/neck area when you had the opportunity to avoid such contact,” Runyan stated in the letter.
You had the option to communicate with your opponent in accordance with the rules, but you declined to do so.
Safety Kareem Jackson of the Denver Broncos was suspended by the NFL for four games with pay on Sunday night for a hit on quarterback Joshua Dobbs of the Minnesota Vikings. Adam Schefter of ESPN revealed a day later that Jackson’s punishment will be upheld.
The punishment was made public by the league on Monday afternoon, citing “repeated infractions to playing regulations intended to safeguard the well-being and security of players.”
On Denver’s opening possession of their 21-20 victory, Jackson lowered his headgear and struck Dobbs in the facemask. The hit assisted in moving the ball, forcing the Broncos to force a turnover that they turned into an attacking goal.
Jackson received a four-game suspension by the NFL in October after being ejected for the second time this season during a victory over the Packers of Green Bay. After an appeal, the league later lowered the suspension to two games.
Jackson’s debut back was on Sunday against the Vikings. Three snaps after his ban ended, he repeated the illegal hit. Jackson has been suspended twice this season for repeatedly hitting opponents in the head illegally.
With three regular-season games left, the former Alabama defensive back will return to the Broncos after missing games against the Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Los Angeles Chargers, & Cleveland Browns. Jackson’s earliest available game date is December 24 versus the New England Patriots.
Jackson was also given a four-game suspension by the NFL on October 23. Jackson took his punishment to the NFL & NFL Players Association-appointed hearing officers, who are paid to hear appeals of on the field player penalties.
Derrick Brooks then shortened the penalty to two games. Jackson also challenged the ban he received on Monday, and Brooks affirmed the decision this time.
Jackson received a four-game suspension from the NFL for hitting Minnesota Vikings passer Josh Dobbs in the Broncos’ Sunday night 21–20 victory.
NFL Vice President of Football Operations Jon Runyan told Jackson that the league believed he had broken Rule 12, Section 2, Article 10(a) of the NFL rulebook, which reads, “It is a foul if a player lowers the head and makes forcible contact through his helmet against an opponent,” even though there was no penalty called on the field.