Vikings safety Andrew Sendejo won’t be playing in London on Sunday.
Sendejo has been suspended for one game for his hit on Ravens receiver Mike Wallace yesterday. The Vikings play the Browns in an early kickoff at Twickenham Stadium this week.
“The violation was flagrant and warrants a suspension because it could have been avoided, was violently directed at the head and neck area and unreasonably placed both you and an opposing player at risk of serious injury,” NFL V.P. of Football Operations Jon Runyan told Sendejo in a letter informing him of the suspension.
Although Sendejo was flagged for the hit, Vikings coach Mike Zimmer argued that it was clean, saying that Wallace was a runner — not a defenseless receiver — at the time of the collision, and that Sendejo hit him with only “a glancing blow.” Runyan disagreed.
Sendejo is viewed as a repeat offender because he was already fined this year for a hit to the head of Buccaneers tight end Cameron Brate. Sendejo is expected to appeal.