League mulls suspension for LB Von Miller. What's your take?

[smuggler]

Here's an animation of the hit. https://gfycat.com/HonoredLeanGypsymoth

Von Miller sees Smith is about to unload the ball, lowers his head, leaves his feet, and spears Smith square in the center of the back.

Officials penalized the hit, but did not eject Miller from the game. Ejection would have been possible under the Malicious Personal Foul rule in the rulebook.

What do you think? Should he be suspended? Fined? Neither?

[Joemailman]

1 game suspension unless he has a history of doing this.

[woodbuck27]

Miller is charging KC QB Alex Smith and the hit takes place approx. 1.25 seconds after the ball is out.

It's the helmet to the back that coulda/shoulda been avoided by Von Miller. Von Miller didn't elect the soft tackle or simply collapse the attack...adrenaline!?

I don't have the necessary knowledge to make a decision on that hit. I have to research that.

[pbmax]

Crown of the helmet hit fine him unless second or more offense.

[Guiness]

From a 'flagarant' point of view, this is up there with Goose's splash of Gannon during the Ravens SB run.

[Harlan Huckleby]

It looked worse on TV. The hit looked more vicious from the side angle.

[MadScientist]

Fine him unless there are previous on-field suspensions.

[woodbuck27]

http://www.arrowheadpride.com/2014/12/1/7313115/travis-kelces-tweet-jerkoff-hand-gesture-von-miller-chiefs-broncos

Travis Kelce's amazing response to the hand motion he made after Von Miller's late hit

By: Joel Thorman  @JoelThorman on Dec 1 2014, 7:56 AM

That gesture wasn't cool on Travis Kelce's part. It might be interpreted as worthy of a fine?

[Zool]

Better angle


https://mtc.cdn.vine.co/r/videos/9C076399261151051746181849088_34ec635805b.1.1.1918 222067571832122.mp4?versionId=rUlUm52ZAfYSdyVMRSjr qAhOi0Uj80cA

[woodbuck27]

Better angle


https://mtc.cdn.vine.co/r/videos/9C076399261151051746181849088_34ec635805b.1.1.1918 222067571832122.mp4?versionId=rUlUm52ZAfYSdyVMRSjr qAhOi0Uj80cA

Millers leading with his helmet on that late hit. No matter how slighty off time wise that late hit may be; it will come down to leading with the helmet.

He'll be fortunate to escape without a fine.

[hoosier]

Better angle


https://mtc.cdn.vine.co/r/videos/9C076399261151051746181849088_34ec635805b.1.1.1918 222067571832122.mp4?versionId=rUlUm52ZAfYSdyVMRSjr qAhOi0Uj80cA

From that angle it looks like he takes one, maybe one and a half steps after Smith releases. He does lead with the helmet but that by itself isn't suspension worthy.

[smuggler]

To me, the question is *why* does he lead with the helmet? The answer is why I send him a suspension. Even if it gets lifted in the appeal process, it sends a message to teams and players like Von Miller.

[Fritz]

To me, the question is *why* does he lead with the helmet? The answer is why I send him a suspension. Even if it gets lifted in the appeal process, it sends a message to teams and players like Von Miller.


1974:

Great hit, man! That'll make that QB think twice next time he drops back to pass!


2014:

Fine him and suspend him for a game.

[woodbuck27]

To me, the question is *why* does he lead with the helmet? The answer is why I send him a suspension. Even if it gets lifted in the appeal process, it sends a message to teams and players like Von Miller.

A good point smuggler.

[hoosier]

1974: Great hit, man! That'll make that QB think twice next time he drops back to pass!

1994: NFL partners with DirectTV to launch NFL Sunday Ticket.

2014: Fine him and suspend him for a game.

FIFY

[smuggler]

Yeah, the problem with those hits is that they are against the rules now. I like football, and reckless plays like this are going to destroy the game.

[Zool]

1974: Hits like this do not cause brain damage.

2014: Hits like this do cause brain damage.

[mraynrand]

1974: Great hit, man! That'll make that QB think twice next time he drops back to pass!

1994: NFL partners with DirectTV to launch NFL Sunday Ticket.

2014: Fine him and suspend him for a game.

FIFY

It figures you'd blame DirecTV for the pussification of football.

[mraynrand]

1974: Hits like this cause spine damage.

2014: Hits like this do cause spine damage and we're gonna stop it, even if it means killing the game.

FIFY

[mraynrand]

I vote to execute Vonn Miller. Send a message of intolerance.

[Zool]

FIFY

Repeated hits to and with the head cause CTE

[mraynrand]

Repeated hits to and with the head cause CTE

This just shows you care more about Miller than Smith. Hater.

[Freak Out]

Those kinds of hits were always cheap shots....it really doesn't mater if they were called or not. He could have held up and not drilled him directly in the spine.

I understand being competitive and the benefits the defense gets from sacking or hurrying the QB...but there is no need for that. I don't want to see Smith or anyone else paralyzed or killed because of a deliberate shot like that. It's dangerous enough out there already.

That said fine him but no suspension. :)

[Freak Out]

Derp.

[Maxie the Taxi]

https://mtc.cdn.vine.co/r/videos/C619DF80D91151051750099632128_3e7b60c86a2.1.1.9063 163034995327468.mp4?versionId=s7P2EeZsq5MvMKFvfa6K xmI8UeVzyHuq

+1

[smuggler]

Without putting to stop to hits like this, the lawyers really will destroy football.

[Patler]

1974:

Great hit, man! That'll make that QB think twice next time he drops back to pass!


2014:

Fine him and suspend him for a game.

1964: You let up and didn't drive through into the ground. He'll stand back there all day if you don't put a better hit on him.

[Fritz]

1974: Hits like this do not cause brain damage.

2014: Hits like this do cause brain damage.



1974: I think he took a big hit to the mellon!

2014: This hit causes brain damage.

[Maxie the Taxi]

Without putting to stop to hits like this, the lawyers really will destroy football.

It's happened before. This from Wikipedia:

Early [football] games appear to have had much in common with the traditional "mob football (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mob_football)" played in England, especially on Shrove Tuesday (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrove_Tuesday) when they used a lemon instead of a ball. The games...remained largely "mob" style games, with huge numbers of players attempting to advance the ball into a goal area, often by any means necessary. Rules were simple, violence and injury were common. The violence of these mob-style games led to widespread protests and a decision to abandon them. Yale (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yale_University), under pressure from the city of New Haven (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Haven,_Connecticut), banned the play of all forms of football in 1860, while Harvard followed suit in 1861.

[esoxx]

2024: Yes, I got your flag! In your face!!!

[mraynrand]

2024: Yes, I got your flag! In your face!!!

winner!

http://content6.flixster.com/question/52/61/21/5261216_std.jpg

[Harlan Huckleby]

Better angle


https://mtc.cdn.vine.co/r/videos/9C076399261151051746181849088_34ec635805b.1.1.1918 222067571832122.mp4?versionId=rUlUm52ZAfYSdyVMRSjr qAhOi0Uj80cA

yes, that fully captures both the agony and ecstasy, depending on your perspective.

Give the guy a real consequence - a game suspension. I don't like that cheap shit, doesn't do anything for the game.

[Joemailman]

To those who think it should just be a fine, how much would you fine a guy making over 5 mil per year?

[pbmax]

Those kinds of hits were always cheap shots....it really doesn't mater if they were called or not. He could have held up and not drilled him directly in the spine.

I understand being competitive and the benefits the defense gets from sacking or hurrying the QB...but there is no need for that. I don't want to see Smith or anyone else paralyzed or killed because of a deliberate shot like that. It's dangerous enough out there already.

That said fine him but no suspension. :)

Yep. And leading with the head used to be handled on the field by the players. Its a relatively recent development that using the helmet to hit players with has become acceptable. And it was snuck in largely as a method to cause turnovers. The Bears under Lovie are proof there are better ways to do this.

If the game actually had a commish and not a weather vane, he would take this to the coaches and walk the helmet hitting back to 1972 levels.

Then he would increase spacing on the LOS since the one known area where CTE is likely to develop is with repeated sub-concussive hits with players along the LOS. Make the neutral zone wider and increase spacing between lineman.

High Schools should allow the A-11 again and then let the coaches fiddle with it.

But the Doppler 3000 in charge is worried about hits that make replays.

[pbmax]

1964: You let up and didn't drive through into the ground. He'll stand back there all day if you don't put a better hit on him.

I'd be willing to trade the helmet hits for the drive into the ground ones.

[woodbuck27]

To those who think it should just be a fine, how much would you fine a guy making over 5 mil per year?

Marshawn Lynch got fined a total of $110 K for being quiet for not saying a word.

[mraynrand]

Marshawn Lynch got fined a total of $110 K for being quiet for not saying a word.

https://i.imgflip.com/eiry4.jpg

[woodbuck27]

http://www.arrowheadpride.com/2014/12/1/7313115/travis-kelces-tweet-jerkoff-hand-gesture-von-miller-chiefs-broncos

Travis Kelce's amazing response to the hand motion he made after Von Miller's late hit

By: Joel Thorman  @JoelThorman on Dec 1 2014, 7:56 AM

That gesture wasn't cool on Travis Kelce's part. It might be interpreted as worthy of a fine?

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000439181/article/fines-roundup-kelce-docked-11k-for-obscene-gesture

Fines roundup: Kelce docked $11K for obscene gesture

By Marc Sessler ... Around the NFL Writer

Published: Dec. 5, 2014 at 03:38 p.m. ... Updated: Dec. 5, 2014 at 07:05 p.m.

[smuggler]

They... didn't even fine Miller... WTF??

[Carolina_Packer]

1974: Hits like this do not cause brain damage.

2014: Hits like this do cause brain damage.

1974...nobody's conceiving of lawsuits later on. It's football.

2014...player safety are the buzz words; future lawsuits are likely the real concern.

Sit him a game, fine him and send him a note saying keep your head up and you'll see that the QB has already released the ball.

[woodbuck27]

They... didn't even fine Miller... WTF??

I can find nothing on that issue.