Denzel Perryman of the Texans will only miss two games due to his hit against the Bengals.
Denzel Perryman, a linebacker for the Houston Texans, will only miss two games due to suspension.
On Wednesday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reported that the league had lowered his penalty from three games to two.
The NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said that Perryman’s suspension was due to “repeated violations of playing rules intended to protect health and safety of players.” His seventh helmet infraction was assessed on Sunday after a hit on Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase.
Pro Football Talk’s Josh Alper reported that this season, the NFL and NFL Players Association designated Derrick Brooks and James Thrash, two former players, to hear these appeals. Earlier this year, safety Kareem Jackson of the Denver Broncos got his four-game punishment lowered to only two.
Given the decision on Wednesday, Perryman can return to action one game sooner than expected, but he will still miss two games as the Texans compete for a postseason berth.
Houston’s next three home games are against the Arizona Cardinals and Jacksonville Jaguars. The linebacker is eligible to play again when the squad plays the Denver Broncos in Week 13.
NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan sent Perryman a letter outlining the ban, saying, “You lowered your head and delivered a forcible blow to the shoulder and then the head/neck area of the receiver,” according to ESPN. “You had unobstructed path to your opponent and the illegal contact could have been avoided.”
Runyan also brought up the repetitive infractions, but J.J. Watt, a legend of the Texans, objected to that being taken into consideration while making the decision:
