The Raiders will be without veteran linebacker Vontaze Burfict for the rest of 2019.
The NFL suspended Burfict for the remainder of the season without pay Monday, one day after he was ejected from the Raiders' 31-24 win over the Colts for an illegal helmet-to-helmet hit on Indianapolis tight end Jack Doyle.
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Below is a statement from NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan on the decision.
ESPN's Chris Mortensen first reported Monday that Burfict was facing a season-long suspension.
The season-long suspension will be the 13th time the eight-year pro either has been fined or suspended, but NFL Media's Ian Rapoport reported Burfict plans to appeal his latest ban.
Following yesterday's win over Indianapolis, Raiders coach Jon Gruden was upset about Burfict's ejection, especially because it was made by officials away from the field.
"I know [officials in] New York City pulled the ejection, so you’d have to ask New York -- whoever is in the room that made that decision," Gruden said. "I think it was penalized multiple times by multiple referees today. Nobody on the field in our stadium or in this zip code made the call to eject him. That came from New York City, so what can I do? I don't have a cell phone on the field."
NFL
You can bet that Gruden is even more upset now that his captain out for the rest of the season.
The Raiders' next game is Sunday against the Bears in London.