The eye test proved — and, significantly, still proves — it. Viewed from any angle, the hit that Raiders linebacker Vontaze Burfict delivered to Colts tight end Jack Doyle in the second quarter of their match the other day could not have been any more vicious. It was the premeditated helmet-to-helmet kind that invariably gets those who witness it to cringe long before impact. And even on slow motion, the intent was clear; the defensive playcaller secured momentum and, from a mere half a dozen yards away, administered a headshot to his unsuspecting target. He braced for an impact the recipient (knees to the ground after completing a catch) was not expecting, immediately drawing a flag for unnecessary roughness and then, upon review, an ejection.
After the match, the Raiders argued that the punishment was severe. Head coach Jon Gruden said it was “a tough call. I think it deserved a flag … He went in there with his head down, it was called, and, unfortunately for us, it was an ejection.” Not surprisingly, the National Football League thought it merited more. Much more. In a letter, vice president of football operations Jon Runyan announced his suspension for the rest of the season. “There were no mitigating circumstances on this play. Your contact was unnecessary, flagrant and should have been avoided,” a description that fit many of his other hits throughout his pro career.
Fellow linebacker and Raiders co-captain Tahir Whitehead was not happy, tweeting in response: This is straight bulls — . No way that hit calls for that. This s — is getting out of hand.” For just about everybody else, however, Burfict’s ban was long in coming. He knew he was already under scrutiny for his unhealthy history of initiating violent collisions; not for nothing has he accumulated the most number of personal fouls and flags — and fines and salary forfeits totaling close to $4,2 million — since he entered the league in 2012. And still he thought nothing of scratching his itch to inflict pain in the worst possible way.
Needless to say, Burfict will contest his suspension. Lamont Smith, his agent, told ESPN’s Josina Anderson that “the 12-game suspension is excessive, and the play that triggered the suspension was a football play.” Under the collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the players association, the appeal will be heard by either Derrick Brooks or James Thrash, appointed to adjudicate sanctions for rule-breaking on-field player actions. Considering his recidivism, however, he’s not likely to get much sympathy. As Colts coach Frank Reich said, “when someone does something like that … it’s not supposed to be in the game. Glad they did what they did. Actions feel very appropriate.”
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
