NFL suspends Lions’ Raiola 1 game for stomping on opponent

The NFL suspended Detroit Lions center Dominic Raiola for the season finale for a stomping incident during Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears.

Raiola stepped on Chicago Bears defensive lineman Ego Ferguson’s ankle during the third quarter of the Lions’ 20-14 victory at Soldier Field.

“The matter will be reviewed and appropriate discipline will be applied for any potential safety-related rules violations,” NFL spokesman Michael Signora said Monday before the announcement that Raiola would miss the Lions’ game against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. Raoila is expected to appeal.

Chicago wide receiver Brandon Marshall thinks Raoila should get a much stiffer penalty.

“He shouldn’t be allowed in the NFL. He should be banned from the NFL,” Marshall told the Chicago Tribune. “This guy is a dirty player and he’s a worse human being.”

After the game, Raiola said the incident was unintentional.

“I remember I was stumbling out. I didn’t see the end of it,” Raiola said. “I apologized at the end of the game, told him it was unintentional and we shook hands and that was it.”

Raiola said he felt something when he stepped down on what ended up being Ferguson and that his ankle almost rolled on him when he ended up making contact with Ferguson’s leg.

Lions coach Jim Caldwell said after the game that he would need to see the tape of the incident.

“From what I understand, that was inadvertent,” Caldwell said. “He apologized to the guy. They shook hands.”

Ferguson had a different interpretation of what happened.

“Y’all saw the play,” said Ferguson, who ended up coming back into the game after initially having to come out. “I don’t have to explain that. You need to stay in between the (whistles).”

Ferguson declined to say what Raiola said to him after the game.

“None of that matters,” Ferguson said. “We all saw the play. You can’t take back what happened with that play. That’s the end of that.”

Raiola last month admitted he went at the knee of an opponent seeking payback for the New England Patriots’ scoring a late-game touchdown in Week 12. He was fined $10,000.

“None of that matters,” Ferguson said. “We all saw the play. You can’t take back what happened with that play. That’s the end of that.”

Raiola last month admitted he went at the knee of an opponent seeking payback for the New England Patriots’ scoring a late-game touchdown in Week 12. He was fined $10,000.