The NFL suspended Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James Jr. for one game Monday for what the league deemed “repeated violations of playing rules intended to protect the health and safety of players.” The most recent violation occurred Sunday when James made helmet-to-helmet contact with Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth.
In a league statement, NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan told James that “video of the play shows that you lowered your head and made forcible contact” to Freiermuth.
The play that earned Derwin James a one-game suspension and that the NFL deemed a “serious violation of the playing rules.” pic.twitter.com/JyjElppe51
— Daniel Popper (@danielrpopper) September 23, 2024
“Your continued disregard for NFL playing rules will not be tolerated,” Runyan told James. “Substantial penalties are warranted when players violate the rules intended to protect player safety on a repeated basis, particularly when the violations carry with them a significant risk of injury to an opposing player.”
After Sunday’s game, James told reporters he didn’t feel like he hit Freiermuth in the head or neck. He said he didn’t ask the referees for clarification on the penalty during the game.
“I stopped asking, I’m not asking them. I look at the film and I see if they sent me a fine or whatever it is,” he said. “So I’ll see, just playing fast bro.”
James will invoke his right to appeal the suspension, according to a person familiar with the decision.
This marks James’ first suspension. He was previously ejected from a game in 2022 for unnecessary roughness, and was fined $43,710 for being a “repeat offender” after his league-leading four unnecessary roughness penalties in the first 10 games of 2023 season.
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On Monday, Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh applauded his star safety’s play.
“Derwin’s going to keep doing Derwin,” Harbaugh said. “He has found that sweet spot of playing very aggressively and within the rules, all at the same time. That’s what I’ve noticed. And he showed it yesterday. … He’s doing everything that he should and can be doing.”
James has been on notice with the league ever since Week 16 of 2022. In a Monday night game against the Indianapolis Colts, James was ejected in the second quarter for a hit on receiver Ashton Dulin. This was a particularly vicious hit, and the ejection was deserved considering the state of the league’s rules on leading with the helmet.
In Week 2 of 2023 against the Tennessee Titans, quarterback Ryan Tannehill threw a slant to receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. The pass was low. Westbrook-Ikhine had to slide to attempt to make the catch and James, who was in zone coverage over the middle, delivered a shoulder to Westrbook-Ikhine’s head.
The next week against the Minnesota Vikings, quarterback Kirk Cousins dumped off a screen in the red zone to running back Alexander Mattison, who carried the ball to the left sideline. James sprinted over and made the tackle and, again, he hit the ball carrier in the head with his shoulder.
James was then flagged in Week 6 against the Dallas Cowboys for a similarly high hit to tight end Jake Ferguson. And finally, James received his fourth unnecessary roughness penalty in Week 10 against the Detroit Lions for a hit on receiver Josh Reynolds on a slant pattern.
These flags weighed heavily on James — to the point where he went out of his way to make improvements in the offseason. He told The Athletic in August he reached out to former Chargers coach George Stewart, who is now the NFL’s VP of officiating training and development.
“He gave me some good tips on how they’re calling it and what they’re seeing,” James said.
James is not a dirty player, and he desperately wanted to find a way to fit his brand of physicality into the modern game. The league has clearly identified him, though.
Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley was asked about James’ penalty after the loss Sunday.
“It’s hard. The game is changing,” Henley told The Athletic. “A lot of these plays that are flags, like D.J.’s penalty … we’re just playing football. A lot of these dudes been playing this sport their whole life. With the game changing, we’re going to be better next time. We’re going to look at the details and be better next time. But I’m always going to vouch for my guys. You can quote me on that. I’m always going to vouch for my guys. They need to look closer at those penalties. I’m going to look closer at those penalties myself. And we need to evaluate it a little harder.”
Required reading
(Photo: Justin K. Aller / Getty Images)
