The NFL has suspended Broncos safety Kareem Jackson four games without pay for repeated unsafe hits, including the one on Vikings quarterback Josh Dobbs Sunday night.
Returning after a previous two game suspension for four illegal hits this season, Jackson didn’t take long to draw the ire of the NFL, leveling a nasty hit on Dobbs on just the third play of the game, causing him to fumble.
Dobbs was attempting to rush for a first down when Jackson led with the crown of his helmet to take the Vikings QB down. Dobbs was sent to the medical tent after the play but did not end up missing any snaps.
The NFL suspended Broncos safety Kareem Jackson for four games without pay, after his helmet-to-helmet hit on Vikings QB Josh Dobbs on Sunday night. pic.twitter.com/UGLjRGc40b
— Ben Goessling (@BenGoessling) November 20, 2023
Jackson was not penalized on the play. Had a flag been thrown, replay officials could have reviewed the hit and penalized Denver or ejected Jackson.
In a letter sent to Jackson the NFL notes that he had “an unobstructed path to [his] opponent and the illegal contact could have been avoided.”
On the NBC broadcast Sunday night, rule analyst and former NFL official Terry McAulay questioned why a flag wasn’t thrown for the hit.
“He lowers his head and makes forcible contact to the opponent,” McAulay said. “This should ;have been a 15-yard penalty for unnecessary roughness.”
After game Sunday night, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said he thought Jackson should have penalized.
