Dre Greenlaw Suspended for Unsportsmanlike Conduct
Denver Broncos linebacker Dre Greenlaw has been suspended for one game by the NFL due to unsportsmanlike conduct towards an official, the league announced this Monday.
The incident occurred after Sunday’s victory against the New York Giants.
According to the NFL’s statement, Greenlaw “chased referee Brad Allen and verbally threatened him while he was trying to leave the field.”The NFL indicated that Greenlaw violated Rule 12, Section 3, Article 1(b), which prohibits “the use of abusive, threatening, or insulting language or gestures towards opponents, teammates, officials, or League representatives”.
Greenlaw has three days to appeal his suspension, according to the collective bargaining agreement.
If he doesn’t appeal or the suspension is upheld, he will miss the Broncos’ practices this week and Sunday’s home game against the Dallas Cowboys. The suspension would also cost him a game check in the amount of $192,778.
Sunday marked Greenlaw’s first game with Denver after signing a three-year, $31.5 million contract in March. He didn’t play in the preseason or the first six games of the regular season due to hamstring injuries.
Against the Giants, Greenlaw played 21 plays and finished with six tackles and one quarterback hit, as the Broncos rallied from a 19-0 deficit in the fourth quarter to win 33-32 and improve to 5-2.
Broncos coach Sean Payton has consistently praised the physicality and athleticism that Greenlaw could bring to the Denver defense. Despite his injuries over the years, Greenlaw, who spent his first six seasons with San Francisco, has been one of the most impactful linebackers in the league, with four seasons of 80 tackles and 14 passes defended in his career.
