NFL Upholds Suh's Two-Game Suspension

(NewsCore) - The NFL upheld Friday its two-game suspension of Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh for stomping on the arm of an opposing player.

Suh's appeal of the suspension was conducted via conference call Thursday by former Oakland Raiders coach Art Shell, who was appointed jointly by the NFL and the players union to hear the case.

The 2010 Defensive Rookie of the Year was ejected for stomping on the arm of Green Bay Packers offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith in the third quarter of the Lions' loss on Thanksgiving Day.

The Lions play at New Orleans on Sunday night and have a home game against Minnesota on Dec. 11. Suh will be eligible to rejoin the team Dec. 12.

Suh had previously been fined three times in his short career for a total of $42,500 for illegal hits on quarterbacks. Forgoing two paychecks during the suspension will cost Suh $164,000.

The incident came just weeks after the 24-year-old Suh met face-to-face with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell in an effort to gain a better understanding of the league's policy on illegal hits. Suh called Goodell on Monday to apologize for his actions.

Suh had initially denied that the stomp was intentional and argued that it occurred after he lost his balance, but he changed course a day later.

"In the past few hours, I have had time to reflect on yesterday's game and I want to sincerely apologize for letting my teammates down, the organization, and especially to my fans who look to me for positive inspiration," Suh wrote last Friday on Facebook.

"Playing professional sports ... is a profession with great responsibility, and where performance on and off the field should never be compromised."

In 2006, the NFL suspended then-Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth for five games for stomping on the head of a Dallas Cowboys lineman whose helmet had come off.