Dubbed as one of the dirtest players in NFL history, Ndamukong Suh has made quite the impact on the landscape of the NFL. However, this season could quite possibly be the last season he makes said impact while wearing a Honolulu Blue jersey with a Detroit Lions logo on his helmet. We won’t know Suh’s future with the team until after this upcoming season, as the Lions will hold off contract negotiations until then.
Ndamukong Suh was drafted by the Lions in 2010 with the Second overall pick in the draft, making him the first defensive lineman the Lions have drafted in the first round since Luther Elliss in 1995. In August of that year, Suh signed a contract for 5 years that paid him $68 million dollars. He finished his first season of play with 10 sacks, which was the most by any Lions player, any rookie player, and any defensive lineman in 2010. He also became the first Lions rookie to be selected to the Pro Bowl as a starter since Barry Sanders did it. In 2011, he was ejected from a game against the Green Bay Packers, then suspended 2 games for stomping on the arm of Evan Deitrich-Smith. He appealed and lost the appeal, forcing him to sit out of two December games. He finished the year with 4 sacks, a pass defended, and 26 tackles.
In 2012, Suh received a $30,000 fine for kicking Texans QB Matt Schuab in the groin, which is double the mandated fine for a second offense of “striking/kicking/kneeing” in the NFL. He finished the season with 8 sacks, 2 passes defended, 25 tackles in 16 games (15 starts). This past season, Suh was giving the largest fine in NFL history (not counting lost pay for suspensions): a $100,000 fine for low blocking a Minnesota Vikings player during a DeAndre Levy “pick 6”. Suh later received a $31,500 fine for tackling Cleveland Browns QB Brandon Weeden in a questionable manner. Suh recorded his first safety during a Thanksgiving Day game against the Green Bay Packers. Suh’s latest fine was for performing and a throat slash in a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which cost him about $7,875 and brought his total amount paid in fines to $216,875. He finished the season with 36 tackles.
Photo Credit: NFL