Vontaze Burfict Suspended for the Rest of the N.F.L. Season

Vontaze Burfict, the Oakland Raiders linebacker with a history of hard hits that skirt the line of legality, was suspended on Monday for the remaining 12 games of the N.F.L. season.

It was the longest suspension ever for on-field actions, NFL.com reported.

Burfict’s penalty was for “repeated violations of unnecessary roughness rules,” but it was precipitated by a helmet-to-helmet hit on tight end Jack Doyle of the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.

“Your contact was unnecessary, flagrant and should have been avoided,” Jon Runyan, the N.F.L. vice president for football operations, wrote in the ruling.

The hit came in the second quarter of a victory over Indianapolis. Doyle caught a pass at midfield, and Burfict, with head lowered, plowed his helmet into Doyle’s. He was whistled for a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the play and ejected from the game.

He blew mock kisses to the fans as he left the field.

The suspension was announced Monday in part because it gives Burfict a day to appeal on his off day, Tuesday. That appeal would be heard by James Thrash or Derrick Brooks, the N.F.L.’s appeal officers.

Prior histories are considered when fining and suspending players, and Burfict does have a prior history.

In 2014, when he was with the Bengals, he was fined $25,000 for twisting the ankles of the Panthers’ Cam Newton and Greg Olsen, both of whom had ankle issues earlier in the year. “Punishment needs to go beyond a fine,” Olsen told The Washington Post at the time. “Guys like that don’t learn from that stuff. He’s been fined a hundred times for headhunting.”

In 2015, his troubles all seemed to involve the Steelers. He ended the season of running back Le’Veon Bell in November with a tackle, and although it did not seem to be dirty, many Steelers were upset that he seemed to celebrate the injury. After the December rematch, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger accused Burfict of aiming his helmet at Roethlisberger’s legs. Several infractions in that game brought Burfict a total of $69,000 in fines.

The teams met for a third time in the playoffs. Burfict hurt Roethlisberger on a sack, though he returned to the game. With seconds left, Burfict hammered receiver Antonio Brown helmet-to-helmet, giving him a concussion.

Burfict was suspended for the first three games of 2016 for his actions the previous season, but came right back to step on LeGarrette Blount’s head. That brought a $75,000 fine. He also flipped off the Bills’ crowd.

Much of his trouble in 2017 came before the season even started. In training camp, he drew criticism for a tackle on his own teammate Gio Bernard that many felt was dirty. Bernard was forgiving: “That’s my buddy. That’s my dude. It’s just early in camp getting some frustration out. That’s football,” he told reporters. In the preseason, a hit on Anthony Sherman of the Chiefs led to a five-game suspension, later reduced to three.

Burfict started 2018 late after a four-game suspension that was widely reported to be because of a drug violation. An elbow to the head of his continuing adversary Brown led to a $112,000 fine, his biggest yet. The Steelers re-entered the story as well, with Roethlisberger accusing Burfict of threatening receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster.

For all that, Burfict remained in demand. Despite being undrafted in 2012, he established himself as a valuable N.F.L. player quickly, and the Bengals paid him more than $14 million over seven seasons. He was released this past off-season, and the Raiders came in with a one-year, $1.8 million deal for this season.

Now his season appears to be done, and the Raiders, who play in London this weekend, will need a new linebacker.

Ken Belson contributed reporting.

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