Getty ImagesLions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh knows about the poll of NFL players that said he’s the dirtiest player in the NFL. But he believes he’s also one of the most respected players in the league.
Suh said in an interview with NFL Magazine that he knows plenty of players admire the way he plays and would love to be on his side.
“The players who said I am the dirtiest player in the league, it’s ultimately their opinion, but I would love to hear from many of them on their true opinion on that,” Suh said. “A lot of players have told me they see me as a protector of my teammates, that, side by side, I’m there when something goes down, and I step up beside them and for them when things get nasty. I play the game hard, and I play it physical.”
Suh’s claims about being respected by his peers don’t seem to be borne out by what the polls of active players have shown, and Suh didn’t have a whole lot of defenders even in his own locker room after he stomped on Evan Dietrich-Smith on Thanksgiving. But NFL Magazine did find some former NFL defensive linemen who said they like the way he plays.
Hall of Famer Bruce Smith said he showed his son Alston, a high school defensive tackle who recently committed to Virginia Tech, a tape of Suh to demonstrate the right way to play the position. And Hall of Famer Richard Dent said he likes what Suh does — he just thinks Suh needs to learn how to channel his rage.
“Be smarter, get the next play, take your game to the next level,” Dent said. “Suh has to let his work be his message. Control that anger. You embarrass the guy in front of you with your play, you kick his ass that way, that’s the greatest response.”
I don’t care that he plays clean or dirty, I would just like to see him be less one dimensional and actually play the run once.
He got abused by the Saints on that.
Suh is not a dirty player, he is just very aggressive and physical which is the way the game needs to be played. Even if Suh didn’t draw as many sacks this year, the constant pressure and double blocks he requires shows what a beast he is! Avril is good, but many of his sacks come from the blocks that Suh draws up. He will only get better, and will be a force to reckon with time and time again. Go Lions!
Im betting jake Delomme,Colt McCoy,and Evan Dietrich-Smith arent some of the players showing respect. Im sure its players like Cortland Finnegan, Rodney Harrison, James Harrison and Hines Ward. Real scumbags.
Suh says players love him.
Players say they hate him.
Someone seems delusional.
“…But he believes he’s also one of the most respected players in the league…”
Yeah, yeah, yeah! He’s also one of the most over-hyped players in the NFL.
3 assists and a half sack in a play-off game that he was supposed to dominate.
Dude’s mediocre at best and completely over rated at worst.
Most people wouldn’t know who the clown was if he wasn’t getting fined/suspended evey other day because he can’t control himself.
I respect the way he does commercials.
Dent sounds like a pretty smart guy.
He and Brees were butt slapping that whole game. I guess you can count Drew in the number of those who respect Suh.
Ha! that’s a good one.
Yea…Never mind that he stomped on another man’s groin. That’s enough to put him in jail had he done it away from the football field.
and many don’t
A lot people think OJ didn’t kill his wife…
@skimbell,
Mediocre at best? Yeah right!You should actually watch the games he played in this season. The man is double or triple teamed on virtually every play! But of course all the mediocre tackles in the league require double and triple teaming…uh huh…get a clue fool!
He seems stable to me….
Signed,
Mike Tyson
Suh is that really annoying guy in school that everybody hates, but he thinks everybody loved him.
James Harrison is no doubt one of Suh’s biggest fans.
First to the moron who said suh is overrated, have you watched him play? If suh played somewhere they didn’t use the wide nine he would average 10 sacks a year at dt. And he doesn’t complain at all that the d he plays in is basicly designed to get the edge rushers sacks and not really the inside guys.
james harrison comes to mind! hines cheap shot ward, ya you artists stick together
somehow hearing it from him doesn’t carry the same weight as hearing it from other players
Is Detroit still in the playoffs??
He isnt dirty, all players stomp on the arms of others when they are on their backs. #PieceOfCrap.
Um… Your season is over, dude.
Go back to the couch and watch some playoff games. Let the guys who are still playing have the attention.
See you next season…
skimbell says:
Jan 14, 2012 2:54 PM
“…But he believes he’s also one of the most respected players in the league…”
Yeah, yeah, yeah! He’s also one of the most over-hyped players in the NFL.
3 assists and a half sack in a play-off game that he was supposed to dominate.
Dude’s mediocre at best and completely over rated at worst.
Most people wouldn’t know who the clown was if he wasn’t getting fined/suspended evey other day because he can’t control himself.
___________________________________
Dude, do you even watch football? Stats are not everything, he is what is known as an “impact player” he gets the attention from the O-line so his other counter parts can make a play. Have you ever heard of Vanden-Bosch, Tulloch, or Fairley before?
why do i keep hearing how much of a beast this guy is but don’t see the stats of a beast, nor a true impact during the game.
My guess is more don’t, and as an NFL fan, people like him don’t deserve to the opportunity to play in the NFL. For those of you who think he’s not a dirty player, your just as delusional as Suh.
Reggie White= Class
Suh= Ass
I respect the way he stumps. LOL!
The NFL players already voted him the dirtiest players in the league – but he was not elected all-pro.
So I assume these “other” players are James Harrison and former player Bill Romanowski?
“The players who said I am the dirtiest player in the league, it’s ultimately their opinion, but I would love to hear from many of them on their true opinion on that,”
typical example of a narcissistic ego maniac.
Does he not get that he basically just said: “I heard several players say I’m dirty, but I want them to tell me what -I really- want to hear, not what they think.
At this point in time, I don’t respect anything about him. Except maybe the size of his wallet. Respect is earned and he needs to begin doing exactly that with many of us.
People will respect him more if he lived up to the hype. It’s insecure players who keep talking.
Yeah, I love the way he plays too. The ONE tackle he had in the Saints playoff game…the one where he tackled the RB by his hair after a 4 yard game. DOMINATING performance. Very (wo)manly. Did he make any other plays besides that one?
I guess you can count EVERY coach whose team the Lions played against this season cause Suh is double teamed 75% of the time
@Skimbell-
Try not to embarrass yourself any more by opening your mouth. If you multiply those 3 assissts and 1/2 sack by the entire season that equals 48 tackles and 8 sacks which would make him the most productive DT in the NFL (and that was against the 2 starting All Pro Guards). Some people just can’t stay out of their own way.
megatron1120 says:
Jan 14, 2012 2:45 PM
Suh is not a dirty player, he is just very aggressive and physical which is the way the game needs to be played…
==================================
Jerry Sandusky is not a pedophile- He just really, really likes kids and is sometimes overly aggressive and physical…
@frank booth,
I won’t even quote you here sicko! You really need to seek help sicko! Referencing crap like that in a post here is idiotic and sick! Maybe someone should track your IP and come knock on your door.
Bill Laimbeer thinks Suh crosses the line at times.
Some people liked John Gavy too.
somebody pointed it out above, and i’ll point it out again: please, PLEASE, dont judge a DT on his stats. out of every position on the football field, that position is probably at the very top of the list as far as stats being meaningless. a DT has several functions….making lots of tackles and getting lots of sacks arent among them….as any actual NFL fan knows.
i thought they did drug testing in the nfl? crack or shrooms?
He can’t even convince himself……
Brian Urlacher thinks Suh is a good RB.
Suh needs to shut up and make some plays.
To quote Bill Walsh, ” a winner acts like a winner even befor they’re winners.” Suh-z is a whiner, not a winner!
I’ve seen the Lions play on television maybe 4 or 5 times this year, and to be honest Suh seems to disappear out there for big chunks of time – like he’s invisible. Granted, the guy fills out a uniform from every angle, and he’s got a big head and thick neck … but he doesn’t seem to be that much of a consistent playmaker.
Suh seems to garner most of his attention with his after-the-whistle antics, padded the incessant blabbering that some of these announcers seem to do as they slobber all over him. I think Cliff Avril is a better player.
On a positive note, it’s nice to hear that he thinks so highly of himself.
Ndamastomp is a talented, unprofessional loser, who craves the recognition and respect he will never earn.
As a Packer fan, I actually enjoyed this season by the Lions, challenging even the Pack for a while, and Suh, like it or not, was a huge part of that making.
Ppl can bash him all they want, but truth is, stomping arms or not, I’d have him in green and gold anyday.
Everybody lighten up. How would you act if you were a boy named Suh?
Why can’t he just shut…..up!
andyreidisfat
First to the moron who said suh is overrated, have you watched him play? If suh played somewhere they didn’t use the wide nine he would average 10 sacks a year at dt. And he doesn’t complain at all that the d he plays in is basicly designed to get the edge rushers sacks and not really the inside guys.
=====================================
What defense has ever been designed for tackles to get the sack?
Yeah and some people actually believe detroit is a clean, classy town, from watching the commercials of Suh driving around detroit as the choir sings in the background. He is a good fit there I will say that.
But I don’t and that’s all that matters. ha
Whatever!!!
The whole ‘dirty play’ on Thanksgiving was such CRAP. You see worse on every play with “inadvertent” blows to the head by linemen to each other. Even the guy on the Packers never complained about it. The Idiot (i.e. commissioner) needed a scapegoat and he took it out on Suh because he does not like him. Let’s remember…this was the ‘Year of Tebow’ and the Commish LOVED it after a few years of dog fighting rings and drug lords with NFL gigs as their 2nd job. Suh is not a dirty player…and every player in the league knows thhis fact. Rodney Harrison? Dirty as hell…and every player knows it. And their are many others…but Suh is not on the list.
I love these comments- “Suh is not a dirty player…and every player in the league knows thhis fact. Rodney Harrison? Dirty as hell…and every player knows it. And their are many others…but Suh is not on the list.
How do you know every player knows that? How do you know everyone thinks Rodney Harrison is dirty? Can I see the poll results?
Do you have a copy of the secret “list”? Where is it? Who has it? Who wrote it?
By the way, Suh is dirty. Anyone with a TV can see that.
noeffinway says:
Jan 14, 2012 3:53 PM
@frank booth,
I won’t even quote you here sicko! You really need to seek help sicko! Referencing crap like that in a post here is idiotic and sick! Maybe someone should track your IP and come knock on your door.
====================================
Why would someone track my IP and knock on my door for a post on a football blog? I have a doorbell if they don’t want to knock. Do you know what time “someone” will be coming? Should I make snacks? This is all so sudden!
Ok, Suh did nothing to help his rep on TG and as a fan I was disappointed to see the stomp myself. However, he is still a rookie and learning. Now if you polled the 31 other teams out there if they would take him and 31 teams would say an emphatic YES! Now tell me how dirty they think he is. Enough said!
First of all , Suh’s not a rookie- he just finished his second year. Second, he should have learned a long time ago not to stomp on people. Third, the fact that every team would take him isn’t a reflection that he is not dirty. It’s just that because he is such a talent, that they would be willing to accept the trade of of his dirty play because of his ability.