New York, NY – Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh has been suspended two games by the NFL for stomping on a Green Bay Packers player last week.
Suh appealed the decision on Tuesday and the league is in the process of scheduling his hearing, an NFL spokesman said.
He was ejected from the Thanksgiving Day game after pushing Packers lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith's head to the turf a couple of times, then stomping on his right arm.
Suh was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct on the play, which happened in the third quarter of Detroit's 27-15 loss.
The league issued its ruling in a statement, saying discipline czar Merton Hanks notified Suh on Tuesday that he would be suspended without pay for the next two games.
It was the second-year tackle's fifth on-field rules violation in the past two seasons that resulted in league discipline.
"Suh may not practice or be at the team practice facility for any other activities during the two-game suspension," the statement said.
Suspensions can be appealed within three business days after they are handed down, according to the statement. Suh is afforded "an expedited hearing" and will receive a decision prior to this week's game.
His hearing will be with Art Shell, who is one of two appeals officers who are jointly appointed and paid by the NFL and players union, according to league spokesman Greg Aiello.
If the suspension stands, Suh will miss games against the Saints and Vikings. He will be reinstated December 12 and be able to play in that Sunday's game against the Raiders.
The Lions, who are 7-4 and battling for an NFC wild card berth, said in a statement that they "respect the process the league undertook in order to arrive at this decision."
"Obviously it hurts to lose any player for two games, much less a player like Ndamukong Suh," said Lions coach Jim Schwartz. "But there's accountability for our actions and that's a situation where something happened after the whistle.
"We want to be as tough and as physical and play as hard as we can between the snap and whistle. But anything that happens after that, we put our team in a bad position and we gotta play the consequences and that's the position we're in right now."
Suh gave a somewhat bizarre explanation of his actions immediately after last week's game, saying he didn't intend to hurt anyone and adding that "the man upstairs knows what I did."
The following day he was more contrite, apologizing and calling his reaction "unacceptable." He also reportedly called NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Sunday to apologize.
Suh, who has gained a reputation as a dirty player, met with Goodell earlier this month to discuss his style of play. He had been fined earlier this year, incurring a $20,000 penalty for a preseason hit on Cincinnati quarterback Andy Dalton.
In addition, he was fined twice last year as a rookie for hits against Jake Delhomme and Jay Cutler, and was also fined for unsportsmanlike conduct in a game.
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