Washington Commanders linebacker Frankie Luvu ‘has been suspended without pay for repeated violations of playing rules intended to protect the health and safety of players, including during Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks,’ according to a statement from the league.
Luvu committed his third hip-drop tackle of the season on ‘Sunday Night Football’ against the Seattle Seahawks, sparking the suspension. He was fined for the previous violations in Week 4 and Week 8.
According to the release:
Luvu violated Rule 12, Section 2, Article 18 (a)(b), which states that: “It is a foul if a player uses the following technique to bring a runner to the ground: (a) grabs the runner with one or both hands or wraps the runner with both arms; and (b) unweights himself by swiveling and dropping his hips and/or lower body, landing on and/or trapping the runner’s leg(s) at or below the knee.”
Luvu’s hip-drop tackle came with 7:55 remaining in the first quarter after he brought down Seattle’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
Washington is set to face the Detroit Lions in Week 10 on Sunday, Nov. 9 and Luvu would be eligible to return to the team on Monday, Nov. 10.
The linebacker can choose to appeal the suspension, according to the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. Any appeal hearing for Luvu would be heard by Derrick Brooks, Ramon Foster, or Jordy Nelson.