The NFL has banned Oakland Raiders linebacker Vontaze Burfict from playing for the rest of the 2019 season following repeated violations of the league’s unnecessary roughness policy.
On Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts, Burfict rammed head-first into Colts tight end Jack Doyle, who was on the ground long before contact. Here’s a slow-mo look at the collision:
In a letter to Burfict from NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan, he writes that the linebacker’s hit was “unnecessary, flagrant and should have been avoided.”
Runyan continued:
“Following each of your previous rule violations, you were warned by me and each of the jointly appointed appeal officers that future violations would result in escalated accountability measures. However, you have continued to flagrantly abuse rules designed to protect yourself and opponents from unnecessary risk.”
Burfict has been fined or suspended a combined 13 times for his on-field conduct, missing out on more than $5 million throughout his career.
Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Burfict and his agent intend to appeal the decision.
