Lions linebacker Tahir Whitehead stepped on the leg of Bears offensive lineman Charles Leno on Sunday, and there have been some suggestions in Chicago that it was intentional -- suggestions that are being denied both by Whitehead’s wife and his coach.
After Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune posted a video of the incident and questioned whether it was intentional, Whitehead’s wife tweeted at Biggs.
“I’m appalled. My husband would NEVER intentionally attempt to hurt another player. I won’t stand by and allow you or any other media personnel to question his integrity or defame him in any way,” Shannon Whitehead wrote.
Lions coach Jim Caldwell also said he couldn’t see Whitehead doing something like that purposely.
“I was unaware of it until I guess it came up this morning, and I highly doubt that’s the case, that it was intentional,” Caldwell said today. “But I just saw it briefly.”
Former Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh was suspended two games in 2011 for stomping on the arm of Packers offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith, and was also given a suspension in 2014 for stepping on the leg of Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, although that suspension was overturned on appeal. Former Lions center Dominic Raiola was also suspended for stepping on Bears defensive lineman Ego Ferguson in 2014.
