Rob Gronkowski won’t be the only NFL player paying the price for a Week 13 cheap shot.
The NFL has suspended Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and Cincinnati Bengals safety George Iloka one game apiece for “violations of safety-related playing rules,” the league announced Tuesday.
Both players administered dangerous hits during Monday night’s violent Steelers-Bengals game at Paul Brown Stadium, which Pittsburgh won 23-20.
Smith-Schuster took out Vontaze Burfict with a vicious crack block in the fourth quarter that knocked the Cincinnati linebacker out of the game with a head injury.
Later in the quarter, Iloka delivered a shot to Antonio Brown’s head as the Steelers wide receiver hauled in a 6-yard touchdown pass.
The NFL noted in its ruling of Smith-Schuster’s “violent and unnecessary” hit that the rookie wideout made matters worse by ” ‘celebrat(ing)’ the play by standing over (Burfict) and taunting him.”
Both Smith-Schuster and Iloka are appealing their suspensions, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The news comes one day after the league suspended Gronkowski one game for the New England Patriots tight end’s cheap shot on Buffalo Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White.
