The Los Angeles Chargers’ star safety, Derwin James, has seen his appeal of a one-game suspension denied, meaning he will be forced to sit out their upcoming clash with divisional rivals, the Kansas City Chiefs. This news comes after hearing officer Derrick Brooks, appointed by both the NFL and NFLPA, chose to uphold the suspension on Tuesday, according to the NFL.
James was handed the suspension by the league on Monday for what they deemed as repeated violations of rules aimed at safeguarding the well-being of players. It’s been noted that the young safety has accumulated a concerning number of unnecessary roughness penalties in recent games, solidifying his reputation as a hard-hitting and physical player on the field.
In fact, in the past 18 games, James has racked up five unnecessary roughness penalties, marking him as the most penalized defensive player in the league in this regard. These infractions all involved dangerous blows to the head of his opponents, either with his shoulder or helmet. This pattern has raised eyebrows within the league and has led to increased scrutiny of James’ playing style.
Over the course of his career, James has now notched a total of seven unnecessary roughness penalties, underscoring a concerning trend that has caught the attention of NFL officials. Jon Runyan, the NFL’s vice president of operations, highlighted James’ history of transgressions in a sternly worded letter following his latest illegal hit on Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth.
During the third quarter of their recent matchup, James was seen lowering his helmet and initiating direct helmet-to-helmet contact with Freiermuth, resulting in a penalty being assessed against him. This incident served as the catalyst for the league’s decision to suspend James and serves as a stark reminder of the importance of player safety in the modern NFL.
With James now set to watch from the sidelines as his team takes on a formidable opponent in the Chiefs, the Chargers will need to adjust their defensive game plan accordingly. While his absence will undoubtedly be felt on the field, the hope is that this suspension will serve as a wake-up call for James and lead to a greater sense of awareness and responsibility when it comes to his playing style. Only time will tell if this incident will mark a turning point in James’ career, or if he will continue to walk a fine line between aggressive play and reckless behavior.
