Ndamukong Suh Fined $20,000 For Hit On Andy Dalton
ALLEN PARK (AP) - Ndamukong Suh was fined $20,000 by the NFL on Wednesday for a hit on Cincinnati quarterback Andy Dalton, the third penalty of its kind for the Detroit Lions defensive end in the past year.
Suh didn't like it much: He responded on his Twitter account before practice: "$20,000REALLY???!!!"
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The reigning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year grabbed the Bengals quarterback and threw Dalton to the turf after he had gotten rid of the ball late in the first quarter of Friday's preseason game. Suh was flagged for unnecessary roughness.
Suh was fined twice last year for roughing up quarterbacks, including Chicago's Jay Cutler during the regular season and Cleveland's Jake Delhomme in a preseason game.
Suh's checking account can absorb the latest hit. His five-year contract is worth $40 million guaranteed and as much as $68 million, though the NFL has increased the fine each time.
Suh was fined $7,500 for what he did to Delhomme, grabbing his face mask, twisting it and slamming him to the ground. He was docked $15,000 for shoving Cutler hard and high in the back from behind during a game last December.
Detroit's second exhibition game is Friday at Cleveland. Browns offensive tackle Joe Thomas said he and his teammates are mindful of what Suh can do.
"Everybody sees it and it's the back of your head, but it's not really something you worry about," Thomas said. "Most of our focus and attention is between the whistles and it seems he's getting a name for himself for what happens after the whistle."
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