Kareem Jackson - Broncos Wire
Denver Broncos safety Kareem Jackson’s suspension for breaking the rules on rough play has been shortened from four games to two, according to the NFL’s announcement on Tuesday.
NFL Appeals Outcome and Impact on Upcoming Games
NFL spokesperson Michael Signora disclosed the reduction after Jackson met with appeals hearing officer Derrick Brooks.
He said. “Jackson can rejoin the active roster on November 14, following the Broncos’ game against the Buffalo Bills on November 13. He’ll miss the upcoming game against the Kansas City Chiefs and the game against the Bills”.
Incident with Luke Musgrave
Jackson got ejected from Sunday’s game for a sideline hit on Packers‘ tight end Luke Musgrave in the fourth quarter. This marked the second time this season that Jackson was removed from a game for an illegal hit.
In a letter to Jackson, vice president of football operations Jon Runyan pointed out, “On the play in question, you delivered a forceful blow to the head/neck area of a defenseless receiver, when you had the time and space to avoid such contact.” Runyan also mentioned that Jackson had multiple previous violations of player-safety rules.
Before Sunday’s game, Jackson had been fined four times this season for unnecessary roughness, totaling $89,670. He got ejected from a Week 2 game against the Washington Commanders for a hit on tight end Logan Thomas.
Comparisons to Past Suspensions
Coach Sean Payton said, “I just know where he’s at as a player; we’ll keep working on that. I know he’ll keep working on it. He’s someone that’s smart and really wants to do the right thing. It’s one of the toughest parts of our game for the officials, for the players, for all of us involved in getting that to where it’s clear and easy. Sometimes, it’s just not.”
The original four-game suspension was the longest punishment for violating player-safety rules since 2019, when Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett was suspended indefinitely for hitting Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph with Rudolph’s helmet. Garrett eventually missed six games before he was reinstated.
Raiders linebacker Vontaze Burfict was also suspended for the remainder of the 2019 season, which amounted to 12 games at the time, for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Indianapolis Colts tight end Jack Doyle.
