Dashon Goldson Suspended for New England Game for Hit on Darren Sproles
By Leo Howell
Sep 15, 2013; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers free safety Dashon Goldson (38) defends New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham (80) during the game at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Foldy-USA TODAY Sports
Update: 6:25 PM Eastern – Adam Schefter tweeted that Goldson is appealing the suspension, and attempting to have it expedited so he can rejoin his team soon.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be without their starting free safety for Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots, because the NFL has slapped a suspension on Dashon Goldson for a helmet-to-helmet hit on a defenseless player during the game against New Orleans.
Here are the Tweets reporting the issue from the NFL.com staff.
The NFL has suspended #Bucs S Dashon Goldson for one game for his hit on Darren Sproles. Helmet-to-helmet on a defenseless player.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 16, 2013
Goldson's 1-game suspension w/o pay is a result of "a flagrant and repeat violation of ... rules prohibiting hits to the head and neck area"
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) September 16, 2013
This suspension will have a huge impact on Bucs’ defense which has played extremely well in the first two weeks of the season. Goldson is the new leader of the back four for the Buccaneers, and he’s made some great plays between his stubborn moments of using his helmet as a weapon.
The Buccaneers will have to hope that Ahmad Black is spared from a suspension for his vicious hit against Jimmy Graham to make sure they have a viable option at free safety. Otherwise, Keith Tandy is going to go from being one of the last players to make the roster to being a starter against the New England Patriots.
Hopefully Goldson will learn from this situation, and not put his team in this awful situation again in the future. He cannot continue to use his head as a weapon on the football field, and the NFL is obviously not going to give Goldson any slack. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport posted some of the verbage from the letter sent to Goldson.
Merton Hanks told Goldson in a letter: "It is clear you lowered your head & unnecessarily rammed your helmet into your opponent’s head"
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 16, 2013
Hanks to Goldson: "You made no attempt whatsoever to wrap up or make a conventional tackle. Illegal contact could've been avoided”
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 16, 2013
The worst part about this is that Goldson’s punishments will only get worse from here, as he’s clearly one of the players the league is tired of sending the same letter to over and over.
However, the suspension is able to be appealed, so don’t rule out the NFL giving Goldson a reprieve in this situation. But I wouldn’t count on it.