Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict’s appeal of a three-game suspension to start the 2016 season has been denied, ESPN’s Dan Graziano reported Thursday.
Graziano reported that Burfict, Bengals coach Marvin Lewis, NFL executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent and Goodell met, and the appeal was denied after that meeting. The NFL considers Burfict a repeat violator of the league’s safety rules.
Burfict and Lewis had worked to secure the meeting. Burfict had filed the appeal last month after being notified of the suspension.
The appeal was heard by Derrick Brooks, who’s appointed and compensated by the NFL and the NFL Players Association. Burfict was fined four times during the 2015 regular season, and his hit on Antonio Brown which ended up costing the Bengals their playoff game to the Steeelers brought on the suspension.