Ndamukong Suh has a reputation around the NFL as a dirty player. The fact that he had been suspended for two games and fined a total of over $77,000 coming into this year would agree with his reputation. Suh will now add a hefty amount to his fine total as the NFL has levied a $100,000 fine on Suh for an illegal block in Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings.
On a second and one play with the Lions down by one point, DeAndre Levy intercepted a Christian Ponder pass, and he returned it for a touchdown. The play was called back though as Suh dove at John Sullivan's legs unnecessarily as Sullivan had no chance to stop Levy from scoring. Suh was flagged on the play, but was not ejected. It is important to note that Sullivan is coming off micro-fracture surgery on his knees, the area Suh dove at.
Due to his past history with fines, the NFL took everything into consideration when they were thinking about discipline for Suh this time.
"All options are on the table with a repeat offender, it's being reviewed for either a fine and/or a suspension, given his repeat-offender status," said Ray Anderson the league's executive vice president of football operations on Monday according to USA Today.
The league decided not to suspend Suh, and instead they went with a six figure fine. If Suh were suspended a game he would have lost one game check which, for him, would be equal to less than $40,000. By fining him he loses $60,000 more, but does not miss a game.
Suh's biggest offense previously was on Thanksgiving 2011 when he stomped Evan Dietrich-Smith, for which he got suspended for two games. One Thanksgiving later, he was fined $30,000 for kicking Matt Schaub in the groin.
NFL.com believes that this fine shows the NFL has lost patience with Suh, and the next time he goes out of line it will almost certainly lead to another suspension.
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