NFL to suspend players for dangerous hits

After a barrage of head injuries this past week, the NFL has announced that it will immediately begin suspending players for dangerous and flagrant hits, particularly those involving helmets.

In the past, players were either fined or ejected for illegal hits.

Suspensions also could be handed out for hits during last weekend’s games.

Several players, including Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson, Cleveland wide receivers Mohamed Massaquoi and Joshua Cribbs, and Detroit linebacker Zack Follett, all of whom could miss extended time with lingering issues, left Week 6 games after suffering a concussion.

All of those players were victims of helmet-to-helmet hits.

Baltimore tight end Todd Heap managed to avoid serious injury when he was hit by New England’s Brandon Meriweather on a late, high hit as Heap attempted to haul in a pass. Heap stayed in the game after exiting briefly, but Meriweather could reportedly face a suspension under the new NFL policy.