Frank Reich applauds Vontaze Burfict ban after 'vicious hit' on Jack Doyle
Vontaze Burfict delivered a brutal, deliberate cheap shot to Jack Doyle’s head on Sunday, leading to calls for a lifetime ban of the controversial linebacker with a reputation as the dirtiest player in the NFL.
A lifetime suspension didn’t land. But a season-long ban did, with the NFL delivering swift punishment to the serial offender on Monday. Burfict, who plays now for the Oakland Raiders, received a pair of three-game bans for separate head-hunting incidents as a member of the Cincinnati Bengals in 2016 and 2017.
[Watch live NFL games on the Yahoo Sports app, here's how]
Reich approves of ban after ‘attack’ on Doyle
Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich applauded the decision on Monday after what he described as an attack on his tight end.
“It was a pretty vicious hit,” Reich told reporters. “But thankfully Jack came out of that one clean.
“Thankful the league took the action it did. When a player attacks one of your players, that’s that not supposed to be in the game. ... The (suspension) seems very appropriate.”
Doyle, Burfict both fortunate
The video is hard to watch. There’s no reasonably arguing that Burfict didn’t intend physical harm to Doyle when he squared up and launched his body helmet-first as a missile directed at Doyle’s head.
Doyle’s lucky to have gotten up and walked away. And Burfict’s lucky to get away with a one-year ban after another illegal assault on a fellow football player.
More from Yahoo Sports:
