Kareem Jackson's Teammate Reacts To NFL Suspension

A Denver Broncos teammate defended Kareem Jackson after receiving his second suspension of the 2023 season.

On Monday, the NFL suspended Jackson four games for "repeated violations of playing rules intended to protect the health and safety of players." The safety lowered his head before hitting Minnesota Vikings quarterback Joshua Dobbs on Sunday night.

Broncos safety Justin Simmons called the discipline "unbelievable." He noted that Dobbs wasn't lined up under center on the third-and-short play in question.

"When you're fighting for every yard, how are we supposed to stop a runner from falling forward?" Simmons asked.

He posted a play from last year that he believed was comparable to Jackson's latest incident.

"I had a hit similar to this last season vs. the Baltimore Ravens. No flag and no fine. There is no consistency in these calls and there is clearly motive and an agenda with certain players," Simmons wrote. "Bunch of dirty players in our league. Kareem is not one of them."

The league suspended Jackson four games -- later reducing the punishment to two games -- for a hit on Green Bay Packers tight end Luke Musgrave in Week 7. He had previously received four fines for necessary roughness throughout his career.

Jackson recorded nine tackles in his return Sunday, but he'll miss four of Denver's final seven games barring another successful appeal. He didn't get penalized during the game for the hit on Dobbs. 

"On the play in question, you lowered your head and delivered a forceful blow to the shoulder and head/neck area of an opponent when you had time and space to avoid such contact," vice president of football operations Jon Runyan said in the letter to Jackson. "You could have made contact with your opponent within the rules, yet you chose not to."

The Broncos improved to 5-5 after earning their fourth straight win. They'll look to keep climbing the standings when playing the Cleveland Browns in Week 12.