When you give three different people the same punishment for three different crimes, you’re bound to open yourself up to criticism.
The NFL is finding that out the hard way this week. A day after the league suspended New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski one game for a late hit on Buffalo Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and Cincinnati Bengals safety George Iloka learned they also were suspended one game for their violent hits Monday night.
So, was each suspension justified? All three plays were similar in nature — crushing hits to the head or neck area that could have (or did) result in serious injury — but different in circumstance, intent and execution.
But a quick scroll through Twitter on Tuesday revealed a common theme: Many current and former NFL players thought Gronkowski’s hit was worse than Smith-Schuster’s.
Steelers safety Mike Mitchell, who unsurprisingly came to the defense of his teammate:
So gronk elbow drops a guy off the top rope like Dusty Rhodes and gets same suspension as a guy getting a penalty making a football play. Okay cool @NFL @espn @ESPNNFL can’t wait to see what you come up with next.
— Mike Mitchell (@iammikemitchell) December 5, 2017
Former NFL linebacker London Fletcher:
Gronk should've got 2 games if Smith-Schuster & Iloka got 1 each. At least theirs were football plays, Gronk's was bs
— TheIronman (@LFletcher59) December 5, 2017
Ex-offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz:
Hmm if you're going to suspend those two for one game on football "plays", then Gronk needs more than one game. His play wasn't part of football. https://t.co/YDezSkv4gy
— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) December 5, 2017
Former running back DeAngelo Williams, another ex-Steeler:
Ed let me get this str8 juju and ikoa get the same punishment as gronk? I was thinking fine as the worse punishment geez this is a reactive league! https://t.co/CMBwdm9rH8
— DeAngelo Williams (@DeAngeloRB) December 5, 2017
As Williams points out, many current and former NFL players believe Smith-Schuster and Iloka shouldn’t have been suspended at all — Mitchell among them.
So now your suspended for helmet to helmet… @nfl is a joke
— Mike Mitchell (@iammikemitchell) December 5, 2017
Not everyone piled on Gronkowski, though, as Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald insisted the tight end shouldn’t have been suspended. But this latest flurry of discipline — and subsequent reaction — only will put the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell in a more intense spotlight.
