Ndamukong Suh’s reputation as a dirty player isn’t limited to fans and the media. His fellow players view him as the dirtiest player in the league.
In a Sporting News poll of 111 players on 31 teams, Suh got by far the most votes in the question, “Who is the dirtiest player in the league?”
Suh, the Lions’ second-year defensive tackle, got 36 votes, easily topping Steelers linebacker James Harrison, who got nine votes.
Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan, who aspires to be the dirtiest player in the NFL, will have to settle for third-dirtiest: Finnegan got eight votes.
Falcons tackle Tyson Clabo got seven votes, Steelers receiver Hines Ward got six, Dolphins guard Richie Incognito got four and Bears safety Brandon Meriweather got three.
One thing to consider, however, is that when a player votes for another player as “dirtiest in the league,” he’s not necessarily offering an insult. Cardinals linebacker Daryl Washington, for instance, voted for Suh and proceeded to say that he’d be honored to have Suh for a teammate.
“Suh. I’m not necessarily saying dirty but just aggressive and intense. I’m on the defensive side of the ball. I like the way he plays. I wouldn’t mind having a guy like that in front of me,” Washington said.
So plenty of players agree that Suh is dirty. And some players like that about him.