INDIANAPOLIS, IN – SEPTEMBER 29: Oakland Raiders linebacker Vontaze Burfict (55) warms up on the field before the NFL game between the Oakland Raiders and the Indianapolis Colts on September 29, 2019 at Lucas Oil Stadium, in Indianapolis, IN. (Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Oakland Raiders linebacker Vontaze Burfict has become notorious for making dangerous, career-threatening hits, and his latest incident has been deemed worthy of suspension for the entire 2019 season.
Sunday’s 31-24 win over the Indianapolis Colts was marred by an egregiously dirty hit from Oakland Raiders linebacker Vontaze Burfict, who seemed to hit a new low when he lowered his helmet to batter a defenseless Jack Doyle.
The Colts tight end was on his knees and clearly not in a position to take a hit, yet Burfict wound up and took a brutal helmet-to-helmet shot at Doyle. Thankfully, Doyle didn’t seem to be injured, but the hit was sickening. (Footage can be viewed here.)
Fans braced themselves for news of a significant suspension for the former Cincinnati Bengal, and the NFL has decided to finally put down the hammer on Burfict. He has been officially suspended for the rest of the 2019 season.
ESPN’s Chris Mortensen first reported that Burfict could be facing an unprecedented, season-long suspension for this latest flagrant hit.
This is the third time that Burfict has been suspended for a dangerous hit. He was suspended four games for a hit on Antonio Brown in 2016 and then four games in 2017 for a hit on Anthony Sherman.
A season-long suspension for a hit is easily the longest in NFL history, but it is well-deserved for Burfict, who has put players at risk with his scary play. There is simply no place in the league for these kinds of hits, which aren’t “football plays”, but rather cynical attempts to seriously injure opposing players. These hits can cause lasting, life-altering damage to players.
It would be startling to see Burfict suit up for another team after this latest incident, even as it was puzzling to see the Raiders sign him this past offseason to begin with. His behavior not only makes him a threat to players around the NFL, but he’s also a liability to his own team.