The NFL has had enough with Raiders linebacker Vontaze Burfict.
Burfict, who has previously been suspended repeatedly for illegal hits and was ejected for a helmet-to-helmet blow yesterday, has been suspended for the rest of the season, the league announced this morning.
“There were no mitigating circumstances on this play,” NFL V.P. of Football Operations Jon Runyan said in a letter to Burfict. “Your contact was unnecessary, flagrant and should have been avoided. For your actions, you were penalized and disqualified from the game. Following each of your previous rule violations, you were warned by me and each of the jointly-appointed appeal officers that future violations would result in escalated accountability measures. However, you have continued to flagrantly abuse rules designed to protect yourself and your opponents from unnecessary risk. Your extensive history of rules violations is factored into this decision.”
Burfict’s suspension is without pay, and will also cover the postseason if the Raiders make it. He does have the right to appeal.