Alaric Jackson Suspended Two Games for Post-Game Handshake Punch
Mike Garafolo reported the NFL's official suspension announcement.
offensive tackle Alaric Jackson has been suspended two games without pay for turning the post-game handshake line into a boxing match.
You get 60 minutes of regulation football to legally hit people. Deciding to throw hands while everyone is swapping jerseys and taking photos is just terrible time management.
The NFL dropped the hammer on Tuesday, as reported by Mike Garafolo, announcing the ban after Jackson struck linebacker Bradley Chubb in the face. The altercation followed a tight Monday night matchup where Buffalo edged out 37-34.
Jackson has the right to appeal the decision to a panel of former players and coaches that includes Derrick Brooks and Ron Rivera. Good luck sitting in that room and trying to explain why a right hook was a necessary part of the "good game, bro" portion of the evening.
The immediate fallout is that the Rams lose their starting left tackle for two weeks over an entirely avoidable meltdown. Offensive line depth is already a nightmare across the league, and giving away starts because you lost your temper after the final whistle is the kind of thing that drives coaching staffs insane.
Luckily for , the upcoming schedule is incredibly forgiving. They face the and the over the next two weeks. Both of those teams just got completely dismantled on Sunday, with the Cardinals giving up 45 points to and the Raiders surrendering 45 to .
Bettors might see a slight line movement against the with a backup protecting the blindside, but should still be in a strong position against two reeling defenses. Jackson is eligible to return to the active roster on October 26, hopefully with a better understanding of how handshakes work.