The NFL suspended Washington Commanders linebacker Frankie Luvu for one game on Monday for “repeated violations of playing rules intended to protect the health and safety of players,” the league announced.
Luvu was suspended for his third hip-drop tackle of the season in Sunday’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks. He was previously fined for hip-drop tackles in Weeks 4 and 8. None of the plays were penalized on the field. Here’s the play that got Luvu suspended.
Luvu was fined $46,372 for this hip-drop tackle in last week’s game at Kansas City.
The play against the Seahawks looks like a terrible call by the NFL. We’ve seen more egregious tackles on Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels that more resembled a hip-drop tackle than this. In this case, another fine seemed more appropriate than a suspension and one of Luvu’s game checks. There is nothing violent or overly aggressive in any of these tackles.
Here’s the NFL’s memo on Luvu.
The Commanders host the Detroit Lions in Week 11, and Luvu plans to appeal his suspension. If Luvu is out for Sunday’s game, Jordan Magee will continue to receive the majority of snaps beside Bobby Wagner, and we could also see rookie Kain Medrano.