GREEN BAY, Wis. — Green Bay Packers offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith said Ndamukong Suh called him to apologize a few days after the Lions defensive lineman’s infamous Thanksgiving Day stomp.
As far as Dietrich-Smith is concerned, that was the end of a widely publicized incident that got Suh suspended for two games — and briefly made Dietrich-Smith famous for all the wrong reasons.
“He’s cool, he apologized, and there’s no hard feelings and that’s pretty much it,” Dietrich-Smith said.
With the Lions coming to Lambeau Field for Sunday’s regular-season finale, Dietrich-Smith doesn’t expect anything out of the ordinary to happen between him and Suh if they’re on the field together.
“I think we’ve all moved past it,” Dietrich-Smith said. “It’s a big learning experience for everybody. I think everyone in the league can take note of everything that happened and I think every player is going to take a step forward to move past that kind of stuff.”
Even in the heat of the moment, Dietrich-Smith said he wasn’t tempted to snap back at Suh.
“Stuff happens,” Dietrich-Smith said. “It’s football. It’s an emotional game. Sometimes you get carried away and you learn from those kinds of things, and that’s about it.”
Dietrich-Smith is a backup for the Packers and was playing on Thanksgiving after an injury to right guard Josh Sitton. He has started four straight games since then because of injuries, three at right guard and one at left guard.
Now Dietrich-Smith hopes he’ll be better known for his play instead of as the guy who was stomped by Suh.
“It’s always better when it’s about football,” Dietrich-Smith said. “That’s how we’re always looking forward. Our performances on the field are always going to speak more than the words we (say) in the locker room.”
Lions coach Jim Schwartz said he doesn’t expect any retribution toward Suh from the Packers.
“Ndamukong didn’t plan on doing that,” Schwartz said in a conference call with members of the media in Green Bay. “He lost his composure in the heat of the moment. I’d be very, very surprised if any team — Green Bay Packers included — was to plan something like that. It’s a very physical game, it’s tough, sometimes people make decisions on the field, but I’d be very surprised if anything like that’s premeditated.”
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press