The Detroit Lions faced-off against the Chicago Bears in an NFC North divisional matchup on Sunday afternoon.
The Lions handled the floundering Bears with little effort, but one of Detroit’s players went out of his way to remind everyone that these two teams hate each other.
WATCH:
That was Lions center Dominic Raiola doing his utmost to end the Bears’ Ego Ferguson’s career.
Following the game, Raiola told ESPN that while he didn’t deny stepping on Ferguson’s leg, “it was totally unintentional… I remember I was stumbling out. I didn’t see the end of it. I apologized at the end of the game, told him it was unintentional and we shook hands and that was it.”
Yeah, I’m not buying it, and it doesn’t look like the NFL is either.
Commissioner Goodell suspended Raiola for one game without pay on Monday afternoon. This would prohibit the Lions’ starting center from playing against Green Bay next week, a match-up that will decide the winner of the NFC North.
Still, some league figures feel Raiola’s actions warranted a greater punishment. Ferguson’s teammate Brandon Marshall had this to say about the incident:
“It’s terrible. It should not be allowed. It’s ridiculous. He shouldn’t be allowed in the NFL. He should be banned from the NFL.”
“This guy is a dirty player, and he’s a worse human being. He has no respect for himself, and [a] one game [suspension] is freaking terrible. This was clear. This was clear. This guy literally jumped and stomped on this guy’s ankle. And we give him one game? A game that means nothing to them; means nothing to them.”
Harsh words.