Lions center Dominic Raiola has been suspended one game by the NFL after what appeared to be a blatant act of unsportsmanlike conduct during Sunday's win over the Bears.
In the third quarter, a stumbling Raiola stomped on the right ankle of Bears defensive tackle Ego Ferguson. Ferguson was injured on the play but later returned.
After the game, Raiola claimed the contact was accidental. The NFL felt differently, however, suspending him Monday for repeated violations of player safety rules. After an expedited appeals process, the NFL on Tuesday upheld their decision.
"It was totally unintentional," Raiola said after the game, according to ESPN.com. "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."
Unintentional? You be the judge:
Ferguson didn't seem to put too much into Raiola's apology.
"None of that matters," Ferguson said. "We all saw the play. You can't take back what happened with that play. That's the end of that."
Brandon Marshall also chimed in.
"He should be banned from the NFL," the star receiver said, via the Chicago Tribune. " ... This guy is a dirty player, and he's a worse human being."
And lest we forget this is the same Dominic Raiolawho cruelly taunted members of the Wisconsin Marching Band before a game at Lambeau Field last year. Other than that, he seems cool.
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