The NFL has suspended Los Angeles Rams left tackle Alaric Jackson for two games without pay for punching Buffalo Bills linebacker Bradley Chubb after Monday night’s 37-34 overtime loss.
The league said Jackson violated Rule 12, Section 3, Article 1, which covers “any act which is contrary to the generally understood principles of sportsmanship”, according to NFL.com.
“After the game, as players were shaking hands and exchanging jerseys, Jackson struck Buffalo linebacker Bradley Chubb in the face after a brief confrontation,” the NFL said in its statement.
The incident was caught by ESPN’s cameras near midfield at SoFi Stadium. ESPN reported that Jackson was swapping jerseys with Bills defensive lineman Deone Walker when Chubb appeared to say something to him.
Jackson then walked over and punched Chubb in the face with his right hand before Rams tight end Colby Parkinson pulled him away.
Read more: Bills Beat Rams 37-34 in OT as Tyler Bass Kicks Winner
Chubb shrugs it off
“It’s just emotions, you know what I mean? Emotional game. It was a close game,” Chubb told the California Post in the Bills locker room, per ESPN. “And you know, they always catch the second guy. So, I let him swing. And then my teammates held me back, and I just chilled.”
“Like I said, it was emotional game. Tempers got flared,” he added. “But it is what it is. We flushed it and we onto next week.”
Blow to the Rams’ line
Jackson can appeal under the collective bargaining agreement, ESPN reported. If the ban stands, he will miss the Rams’ Week 6 home game against the Arizona Cardinals and their Week 7 road trip to the Las Vegas Raiders.
The 28-year-old has started all five of the Rams’ games this season and 56 of the 62 games he has played since joining Los Angeles as an undrafted free agent out of Iowa in 2021, NFL.com said.
It is the second suspension of Jackson’s NFL career. He sat out two games in 2024 for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.
The ban caps a rough 24 hours for the Rams, who fell to 2-3 with the loss and have since released kicker Harrison Mevis and signed Blake Grupe, as BBC Sport reported.
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