Mike Evans receives one-game suspension from NFL for fight with Marshon Lattimore
Mike Evans is being suspended one game for his altercation with New Orleans Saints defensive back Marshon Lattimore on Sunday.
On Monday afternoon, the NFL revealed their swift ruling on Evans’ fate, as Tom Pelissero of NFL Network shared.
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Moreover, the aforementioned altercation broke out after a frustrated Tom Brady turned back to the field in response to chatter from the Saints corner. Then, Buccaneers running back Leonard Fournette got involved in the back-and-fourth with Brady before the Tampa Bay wide receiver rushed in to knock Lattimore to the ground.
Prior to the ejection, the former Texas A&M standout had three catches for 61 yards. So far this season, he has eight catches for 132 yards and one touchdown.
Now, Mike Evans will be sidelined for next weekend’s showdown with the Green Bay Packers. The next time the Buccaneers wide receiver and Marshon Lattimore will share the field will come in December, as the Saints come to Tampa Bay for their second matchup of the season.
Full NFL statement on Mike Evans:
Here’s the full NFL statement one Mike Evans receiving a one-game suspension for his actions in Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints.
“Mike Evans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers has been suspended without pay for one game for violations of unnecessary roughness and unsportsmanlike conduct rules in Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints.
NFL Vice President of Football Operations Jon Runyan issued the suspension for a violation of Rule 12, Section 2, Article 8(g) which prohibits “unnecessarily running, diving into, cutting, or throwing the body against or on a player who is out of the play or should not have reasonably anticipated such contact by an opponent, before or after the ball is dead,” as well as Rule 12, Section 3, Article 1 which prohibits any act which is “contrary to the generally understood principles of sportsmanship.”
In a letter to Evans, Runyan wrote: “After a play had ended, you were walking toward your sidelines. When you noticed your teammates engaged in a confrontation with Saints’ players, you ran toward that area on the field and violently threw your body into and struck an unsuspecting opponent who was part of that confrontation. You knocked your opponent to the ground and a melee ensued involving players from both teams. Your aggressive conduct could have caused serious injury to your opponent and clearly does not reflect the high standards of sportsmanship expected of a professional.”
Evans will be eligible to return to the Buccaneers’ active roster on Monday, September 26, following the team’s September 25 game against Green Bay.
Under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, Evans may appeal the suspension. Any appeal will be heard and decided by either Derrick Brooks or James Thrash, the hearing officers jointly appointed and compensated by the NFL and NFLPA to decide appeals of on-field player discipline.”