Adam Schefter tweets that James Harrison, has in fact, been suspended for a game for his hit on Colt McCoy in the Steelers vs. Browns matchup on Thursday.
This is, as I mentioned when Schefter’s report that Harrison was likely to be suspended broke on Monday, really stupid, and it’s exactly the sort of thing that gives the Steelers and their fans the idea that the league has it out for them.
Harrison is being suspended for, essentially, making the wrong split-second decision – McCoy was acting as a runner on the play, or at least he was until he flipped the ball away just before Harrison slammed into him. If he’s a runner, then he’s not a defenseless player, and I doubt the NFL can feel like a suspension is appropriate.
Harrison had adjusted his game to the NFL’s new emphasis on helmet-to-helmet hits, and had been on good behavior for about a year before this.
Meanwhile, players don’t typically get suspended in the NFL unless they do blatantly violent things outside the whistles. Even Richard Seymour’s punching Ben Roethlisberger only earned Seymour a fine last year.
This suspension doesn’t appear to be consistent or fair in any way.
Scott Brown tweets that Harrison will not be able to practice with the Steelers until one week from Tuesday. Harrison plans to appeal.
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