Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James will be forced to serve a one-game suspension while the Chargers take on division rival Kansas City Chiefs in a crucial week-four matchup.
James, who had his suspension upheld after an appeal attempt Tuesday, was suspended for what NFL Vice President of Football Operations Jon Runyan called a “continued disregard for NFL playing rules.”
Fans called Jon Runyan out for being dirty when he played after he wrote a personal letter to Los Angeles Chargers S Derwin James
James was officially suspended for a third-quarter hit on Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Frieiermuth. James appeared to lead with his head, hitting Freiermuth on the side of the head when trying to bring him down.
This is the play Derwin James got suspended for from his hit on Pat Freiermuth in #Steelers vs #Chargers. https://t.co/SFuU0MGJSF pic.twitter.com/E1Vab7rFUr
— Christopher Carter (@CarterCritiques) September 23, 2024
In a personal letter from Runyan, James was told his “continued disregard for NFL playing rules will not be tolerated,” in an article from CBS.
Your continued disregard for NFL playing rules will not be tolerated,” Runyan wrote in a letter to James. “Substantial penalties are warranted when players violate the rules intended to protect player safety on a repeated basis, particularly when the violations carry with them a significant risk of injury to an opposing player.”
When fans saw that Runyan was the NFL executive who wrote the letter to James, they immediately pounced on the fact that Runyan was considered a dirty player when he was in the NFL from 1996 to 2009.
Fans posted a video of Runyan leaving his feet to dive at an opposing player’s head when the play was clearly over, an act that is significantly more egregious than anything James has done since coming into the league in 2018.
This you? @RepJonRunyan https://t.co/3LCASABOcx pic.twitter.com/HDeuhLuYlj
— ⚡️ (@HarbaughsBolts) September 24, 2024
Fans didn’t only call out Runyan for being dirty when he played, they went as far as to say that Runyan was the dirtiest player in the league during his heyday.
Insert clip of Jon Runyan disregarding NFL playing rules while he was a player
— Sean (@fitz2894) September 23, 2024
That’s so funny coming from the dirtiest player of his time.
— SJoyce (@JoyceJVwaterboy) September 23, 2024
Runyon was the dirtiest player in the league during his playing career.
— JBlack (@Sherwood7633) September 24, 2024
John Runyon was the dirtiest player in his time!
— Dave (@d_c_donovan) September 24, 2024
Jon Runyan was one of the dirtiest players himself but now he gets to do this? Clownery
— Ulysses Pineda (@upinedafong) September 24, 2024
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