Jesse Reed
Minnesota Vikings safety Andrew Sendejo was suspended one game by the NFL for his illegal hit on Baltimore Ravens receiver Mike Wallace in Week 7. The hit left Wallace without a helmet, concussed and forced him out of the contest.
Here is the full release and explanation for #Vikings S Andrew Sendejo’s 1-game suspension for a hit on WR Mike Wallace pic.twitter.com/vJcMIgBywT
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 23, 2017
NFL Vice President of Football Operations, Jon Runyan, wrote to Sendejo after the verdict.
“The violation was flagrant and warrants a suspension because it could have been avoided, was violently directed to the head and neck area and unreasonably placed both you and an opposing player at risk of serious injury.”
Sendejo was also fined earlier this year for an illegal hit to Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cameron Brate, which likely has something to do with the suspension.
https://twitter.com/zestybuccaneers/status/914172710296662016
Head coach Mike Zimmer vehemently disagreed with Sendejo being flagged on this particular hit, which he expressed following the game in his press conference.
“I think the receiver took five steps after he caught the ball and I think [Sendejo] hit him with a glancing blow,” Zimmer said, via Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “I know what [the officials] told me, but I’m going to turn it in and see what they say. [Wallace] established position as a runner, took two extra steps and Xavier [Rhodes] was trying to pull the ball out, which he ended up doing. The guy went down a little bit, but in my opinion he was a runner.”
Sendejo will have three business days to file an appeal.
