New Orleans Saints Forums - blackandgold.com - Ndamukong Suh Thread (MERGED)

Quote:

Originally Posted by saintfan (Post 796314)

He's in the driver's seat. We should all be so fortunate. Why is everybody hating on this man? He is not Junior Galette - he's not remotely close and that comparison is 100% unfair and unwarranted.

Miami didn't like the contract, and it sure smells like some there want to blame Suh for the fact that they suck.

Whether we get him or we don't I don't get all the hate. If I were in Suh's position I'd do more or less exactly what he's doing. He is weighing his options - let's not hate on the man because he's doing what any reasonable person would do.

This is why I don't respect him as a player and don't really like the idea of him on the team, especially if he's paid the money he's asking for:

His rookie year saw the beginning of what would take Suh to a league record amount of fines for on-the-field behavior.[47] He was fined $7,500 in a preseason game against the Cleveland Browns for a facemask of Jake Delhomme, fined $5,000 for using an opponent as leverage on a field goal in a week 9 game against the Jets, and fined $15,000 in a week 13 game against the Bears for unnecessary roughness against quarterback Jay Cutler.

2011 season

Suh in 2011.
During the third quarter of the Lions' Thanksgiving game against the Green Bay Packers on November 24, 2011, Suh pushed Packers' offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith's head into the ground three times, then stomped on his arm. All of this took place after the whistle was blown. Suh was penalized for unnecessary roughness and ejected from the game.[48] The resulting penalty gave the Packers an automatic first down. The Packers would score a touchdown two plays later, giving them a 14–0 lead and an eventual 27–15 victory.

Initially, Suh denied stomping on Dietrich-Smith, saying he was only trying to get his balance back.[49] However, on Friday morning, the Lions issued a statement calling Suh's actions "unacceptable". Within hours, Suh wrote on his Facebook page that he'd "made a mistake" a day before and intended to learn from it.[50] Fox Sports NFL rules analyst and former vice president of officiating Mike Pereira said that based on his knowledge of league discipline, "the question won’t be if the NFL will suspend Suh, but when—and for how many games". He drew parallels between Suh's actions and those of Albert Haynesworth, who drew a five-game suspension—the longest suspension for an on-field incident in modern NFL history—for stomping on Andre Gurode's head in 2006.[51]

On November 29, the NFL suspended Suh for two games without pay which was $165,294 in lost wages.[47] In announcing the decision, Roger Goodell noted that it was the fifth time Suh had been disciplined for on-field conduct.[52] Suh appealed the decision, and the NFL held an expedited hearing before former Oakland Raiders coach Art Shell, so that a decision could be handed down before the Lions' next game, on December 4, against the New Orleans Saints.[53] The appeal was turned down on December 2, forcing Suh to sit out the game against the Saints and the December 11 game against the Minnesota Vikings.[54]

Suh was named a Pro Bowl alternate for the NFC after the 2011 NFL season.[55] He finished the 2011 season with 4 sacks, a pass defended, and 26 tackles.

2012 season
During a Thanksgiving game on November 22, 2012, Suh was involved in a play in which he kicked Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub in the groin. The incident resulted in a $30,000 fine from the league, nearly double the mandated fine for a second offense of "striking/kicking/kneeing" an opponent.[56] There was speculation the size of the fine was recognition by the league of Suh's history of questionable on-field hits, while others viewed it as a "wishy-washy" and "cop-out" action by the league in issuing a large fine without a suspension.[56][57] In response, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said that "intent is something that’s very difficult for us to ever try to make a judgment on".[57] Suh denied the kick was intentional, stating his foot inadvertently hit Schaub as he was being dragged to the ground.[57] Suh finished 2012 with 8 sacks, 2 passes defended, and 25 tackles in 16 games (15 starts).

2013 season
In the Lions' Week 1 victory over the Minnesota Vikings, 34–24, Suh low blocked John Sullivan during a DeAndre Levy "pick 6"; the resulting personal foul nullified Levy's touchdown. Two days after the game, Suh was fined $100,000 for the hit—which, not counting lost pay for suspensions, is the largest fine ever issued to a player for on-the-field actions. He appealed the fine but the ruling was later upheld by the NFL.[58]

In the Lions' Week 6 victory over the Cleveland Browns, Suh tackled Browns QB Brandon Weeden in a questionable manner. Though not called for a penalty during the game, Suh was fined $31,500 by the NFL, but fine was later rescinded.[59]

During a Thanksgiving game against the Packers on November 28, 2013, Suh sacked Matt Flynn in the end zone, forcing a safety for the first time of his career. On November 29, 2013, Suh was fined $7,875 for performing a throat slash gesture during a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

2014 season
Suh racked up 53 tackles and 8.5 sacks in the 2014 season. In Week 17, against the Green Bay Packers, Suh stepped on quarterback Aaron Rodgers' calf. Suh received a one-game suspension, seemingly barring him from the Wild Card playoff game the following week against the Dallas Cowboys; but on appeal, arbitrator Ted Cottrell reversed the suspension, opting instead for another fine worth $70,000. Suh played in the Wild Card matchup against the Cowboys and sacked Tony Romo twice.

Miami Dolphins
2015 season
On March 11, 2015, the Miami Dolphins announced that they had signed Suh to a six-year, $114 million contract with $60 million guaranteed. The contract made him the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history, passing Houston Texans defensive end J. J. Watt.[60][61][62]

During a game against the Washington Redskins on September 13, 2015, as Redskins' running back Alfred Morris was still lying on the ground following a tackle, Suh appeared to knock Morris's helmet off with his leg. The next day, the NFL announced that they would not discipline him, as "Suh's action was not deemed a kick".[63] Suh started all 16 games in 2015, finishing the season with 61 tackles, six sacks, and five passes defended. He was ranked 40th on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2016.[64]

2016
In 2016, Suh started all 16 games with 72 tackles, 5 sacks, and 6 passes defended. He was ranked 55th by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2017.[65]

2017
During Thursday Night Football against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 8, Suh committed two unnecessary roughness penalties, including one moment where he attempted to choke Ryan Mallett and shove him out of reach. Suh claimed that his choke on Mallett was a self-defense, thinking that Mallett tried to attack him firsthand. The Dolphins were shut out as they lost 40-0.[66][67]