Denver Broncos safety Kareem Jackson has been suspended without pay for four games for repeated violations of player safety rules.
Jackson’s latest infraction came on Sunday, his first game back after serving a two-game suspension for violating player safety rules. It came on a hit on Minnesota Vikings quarterback Joshua Dobbs that created a turnover. Jackson was not penalized on the play.
Jackson would forfeit $558,889 in salary if the four-game suspension stands. He is appealing the suspension, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
“With 13:38 remaining in the first quarter, you were involved in a play that the League considers a serious violation of the playing rules. The video of the play shows that you lowered your head and made forcible contact to Vikings quarterback Josh Dobbs. You had an unobstructed path to your opponent and the illegal contact could have been avoided,” NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan wrote in a letter to Jackson.
“Illegal acts that are flagrant and jeopardize the safety of players will not be tolerated. The League will continue to stress enforcement of the rules that prohibit using your helmet to make forcible contact with your opponent. On the play in question, you lowered your head and delivered a forceful blow to the shoulder and head/neck area of an opponent when you had time and space to avoid such contact. You could have made contact with your opponent within the rules, yet you chose not to.”
Jackson was suspended for four games after Week 7 following a hit to Green Bay Packers tight end Luke Musgrave for which he was ejected. That suspension was reduced to two games after an appeal. He forfeited $279,444 in salary with the two-game suspension.
Before that suspension, Jackson had been fined four times this season for unnecessary roughness — for a total of $89,670.
He was also ejected from a Week 2 loss to the Washington Commanders after a hit on tight end Logan Thomas.
He will be eligible to return to the Broncos’ active roster following Denver’s Week 15 game against the Detroit Lions. He would miss games against the Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, Los Angeles Chargers and Lions if the suspension stands.