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The NFL announced on Monday afternoon that Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans has been suspended one game without pay for a violations of unsportsmanlike conduct and unnecessary roughness rules in Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints.
Evans blindsided rookie cornerback Marshon Lattimore after a sideline confrontation with quarterback Jameis Winston, which you can see here if you haven’t by now somehow.
Bucs and Saints man… pic.twitter.com/HobABdr7Bk
— Steve Noah (@Steve_OS) November 5, 2017
Per the release, NFL Vice President of Football Operations Jon Runyan issued the suspension for a violation of Rule 12, Section 3, Article 1 – which prohibits unsportsmanlike conduct, including “any act which is contrary to the generally understood principles of sportsmanship,” such as (a) “throwing a punch, or a forearm, or kicking at an opponent, even though no contact is made” – as well as Rule 12, Section 2, Article 6 (g) which states that “there shall be no unnecessary roughness. This shall include, but will not be limited to: (g) unnecessarily running, diving into, cutting or throwing the body against or on a player who (1) is out of the play or (2) should not have reasonably anticipated such contact by an opponent, before or after the ball is dead;”
Runyan wrote this to Mike Evans:
“During the third quarter, after a play had ended, you struck an unsuspecting opponent in the back, knocking him to the ground. Your conduct clearly did not reflect the high standards of sportsmanship expected of a professional.”
Evans can appeal the suspension (and he will), but either way it was a bad look for the Bucs. It’s as if Dirk Koetter didn’t care about team discipline.