The NFL came down hard on Denver Broncos safety Kareem Jackson on Monday, a day after he was ejected from a game for the latest in a string of illegal hits.
The league announced Monday that Jackson would be suspended four games for repeated incidents of unnecessary roughness. In a statement, NFL vice president Jon Runyan pointed out that Jackson hit a defenseless receiver in the head and neck area (video here), and that he has repeatedly been warned about such hits, including another ejection in Week 2.
Jackson plans to appeal the suspension.
The harsh punishment is not really a surprise given Jackson’s history. In addition to his two ejections this season, the 35-year-old had received multiple fines for illegal hits. Given his status as a repeat offender, the league had ample cause to throw the book at him.
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