Locked out of the Detroit Lions team facilities due to a two-game suspension earlier this week, Ndamukong Suh decided to take a trip home to Oregon for a little bit of a break.
But the trip didn’t start off as smooth as Suh would’ve liked. Suh reportedly lost control of his car and crashed, a police spokesman for the Portland Police told OregonLive.com.
Suh and his two passengers were not injured after the car, a 1970 Chevrolet Coupe, hit a curb, light pole, fountain and a tree, according to reports.
Police responded to the accident at 1:15 a.m. and reported that the tough defensive lineman was not impaired. Suh cooperated with police and his car was towed, police told OregonLive.com.
It’s been a tough week for Suh.
First, he was suspended for two games earlier in the week for kicking Green Bay Packers offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith during the Thanksgiving Day game that was televised on National TV. He lost his appeal on Friday.
Suh was seen pushing the lineman’s head to the ground multiple times before finally giving him a quick stomp after getting up from the ground.
Suh is in his second year in the NFL and has already earned a reputation for being a fierce competitor who sometimes steps over the line. Before the stomping incident he contacted NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell so the two could discuss what he’s doing wrong.
“What I did was remove myself from the situation the best way that I felt in me being held down in the situation that I was in,” he said after the Lions lost to the Packers, according to NFL.com. “My intentions were not to kick anybody, as I did not. (I was) removing myself, as you see, I’m walking away from the situation. And with that I apologize to my teammates, and my fans and my coaches for putting myself to be in position to be misinterpreted and taken out of the game.”
Suh was thrown out of the game after the altercation.
After his own organization came down on him, calling his actions “unacceptable,” Suh released a statement and apologized for the stomping incident.
In the past few hours, I have had time to reflect on yesterday’s game and I want to sincerely apologize for letting my teammates down, the organization, and especially to my fans who look to me for positive inspiration.
Playing professional sports is not a game. It is a profession with great responsibility, and where performance on and off the field should never be compromised. It requires a calm and determined demeanor, which cannot be derailed by the game, referee calls, fans or other players.
I want to reiterate my commitment to working to become a better player, and professional—on and off the field. My reaction on Thursday was unacceptable. I made a mistake, and have learned from it. I hope to direct the focus back to the task at hand — by winning.
