NFL suspends Broncos' Kareem Jackson 4 games for illegal hits - ESPN

The NFL has suspended Denver Broncos safety Kareem Jackson for four games for repeated violations of unnecessary roughness rules.

Jackson is appealing his suspension, a source told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Jackson would forfeit $558,889 in salary if the four-game suspension stands after appeal.

Jackson was ejected from Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers for his sideline hit on Packers tight end Luke Musgrave in the fourth quarter. It was the second time this season that Jackson was ejected for an illegal hit.

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

Runyan noted that Jackson has had multiple instances of violations of player-safety rules.

Entering Sunday's game, Jackson had been fined four times this season for unnecessary roughness — for a total of $89,670.

He was also ejected from a Week 2 loss to the Washington Commanders after a hit on tight end Logan Thomas.

If Jackson's four-game suspension is upheld, he will miss games against the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Minnesota Vikings and Cleveland Browns. He would be eligible to return to Denver's active roster Monday, Nov. 27.

On Sunday, Musgrave caught an 18-yard pass from Jordan Love and, as linebacker Alex Singleton closed in, Jackson arrived and knocked Musgrave to the turf. Two flags were immediately thrown. After a brief discussion among the officials, referee Alex Kemp announced that Jackson had been ejected in addition to the 15-yard penalty.

Some Broncos players said