Lions coach Jim Schwartz didn’t understand why defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh was penalized for a hit Sunday on Bears quarterback Jay Cutler. So he also won’t understand this: The NFL has fined Suh $15,000.
Schwartz said the video footage didn’t support referee Ed Hochuli’s claim that Suh took a shot at the back of Cutler’s head, but the NFL apparently thinks Hochuli made the right call in flagging Suh for unnecessary roughness.
The penalty was costly for the Lions: It gave the Bears first-and-goal at the 7-yard line, and on the next play Chicago scored the game-winning touchdown.
Suh spent Tuesday at ESPN’s headquarters and was asked several times whether he expected to be fined, but he did his best to avoid saying anything about it. When told of the fine today, Cutler told Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, “I’m not surprised by that.”