NFL's Roger Goodell speaks on Ndamukong Suh's kick, behavior

Detroit ? NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Tuesday he looked at Ndamukong Suh's latest on-the-field incident from "several different angles" before deciding not to suspend the Lions star defensive tackle.

The NFL's football operations staff is still reviewing the play from the Lions' Thanksgiving loss to the Texans in which Suh kicked Houston quarterback Matt Schaub in the groin and should determine his punishment, or lack thereof, in the next couple days, Goodell said Tuesday night at Ford Field.

"They've been very thoughtful about (the review). They're still going through the process of whether it should be a fine," he said. "Anytime you see a play like you want to say, 'Well, why did it happen?'

"It's hard for us to be able to determine that just from video. ? Intent is something that's very difficult for us to ever try to make a judgment on."

Goodell delivered the keynote address Tuesday night for the Lions' annual Courage House Dinner, which benefits HAVEN, a Bingham Farms nonprofit center for prevention and treatment of domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse.

Goodell hasn't talked to Suh since Thursday's game and didn't definitively say anyone from the league would talk to him before making a ruling.

Suh was suspended two games and fined last season after stomping on Packers guard Evan Dietrich-Smith during the Thanksgiving game. Suh, a third-year player, has also been fined previously for hits on quarterbacks Jay Cutler, Jake Delhomme and Andy Dalton.

Since last season's stomp, though, Suh hasn't faced any punishment from the NFL, and doesn't have a personal foul penalty this season.

"The reality is since last Thanksgiving he has not been fined or disciplined from our standpoint," Goodell said. "I know he's working at it, he's trying at it and he knows he's got to continue to do that. The rules are there and everybody's got to play by those rules whether you're Ndamukong or any other player."

Suh has, however, been involved in a few off-field incidents, including a Nov. 15 traffic violation in Lathrup Village.

"I think Ndamukong prides himself on what he does on the field, and that's something that you always want to keep that focus as a player," Goodell said. "He also does a lot off the field in a positive way, but they get lost when things happen that can distract from that."

The Lions are awaiting word from the league regarding a rule that might have cost them the Thanksgiving game. Texans back Justin Forsett scored on an 81-yard run that would've been reviewed, but Lions coach Jim Schwartz threw a challenge flag that earned a penalty and prevented the review.

Goodell said the rule won't be changed during the regular season.

"We may evaluate it as it relates to the postseason, but it certainly will get consideration by the competition committee in the offseason," he said. "When we make any rule changes, it's important to look at the unintended consequences of those rules, and that's why the competition committee spends weeks evaluating these and trying to evaluate will it have an impact on the game that we're not anticipating."

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Source: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20121128/SPORTS0101/211280374/1126/rss14

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