Trysten Hill's two-game suspension, handed down by the NFL on Monday, was on Tuesday in the league’s appeal process, the Dallas Cowboys hoping the defensive tackle will be allowed to play on Thursday at New Orleans.
“If the appeal process gives him the opportunity to play Thursday, then I anticipate he will play in the game,” coach Mike McCarthy said.
The ruling is in. Hill wins. But …
His two-game punishment has been reduced to one game, per NFL Network. So he still will sit out this Thursday.
Hill, in the judgment of the NFL, is guilty of “violations of unnecessary roughness and unsportsmanlike conduct” from after the Cowboys’ 36-33 overtime loss to the Raiders on Thanksgiving. Hill delivered “an open-hand punch to the facemask” of a Raiders player.
The suspension is be without play.
The 7-4 Cowboys have a host of concerns with injuries and COVID (including the still-sick Amari Cooper and the already-scratched McCarthy) and could use all hands on deck for New Orleans. In the case of Hill, the appeal is clearly about delaying the punishment more than it is arguing against it.
Said McCarthy: “He apologized for it the next day. He acknowledged the fact that what he did was not right."
Hill practiced Tuesday here at The Star as he awaited a ruling. And now? Even with the successful appeal, Hill will be unavailable for the Cowboys’ Thursday visit to New Orleans … but will return for a Dec. 12 division road contest at Washington.”
Said coordinator Dan Quinn: “He will be getting a call from me, that’s for sure. Like just making sure we keep our discipline right. And it takes a lot of discipline to unclench your fists, sometimes more than clench it. And so, I think on those ones, let's make sure we, we know how to have that kind of discipline, too.”
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