Much of the football world views Ndamukong Suh as dirty. His agent believes the Detroit Lions star is persecuted.
Roosevelt Barnes explained Wednesday in a conversation with NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport why his client decided to appeal his $100,000 fine for a low block of a Minnesota Vikings offensive lineman.
Rapoport discussed the details of that conversation on NFL Network's "Around the League Primetime." According to Rapoport, Barnes doesn't believe Suh's recent good behavior is being taken into account by the league. Barnes made the point that just two of Suh's 14 personal fouls have come after his infamous Thanksgiving Day stomp of Green Bay Packers guard Evan Dietrich-Smith in 2011.
According to Rapoport, Barnes believes NFL discipline practices should be treated like a driver's license. Points can come on. Points can come off. The league, however, takes into account the entire body of work.
Barnes also explained to Rapoport that Vikings center John Sullivan was fair game when Suh buried him with an illegal low block Sunday. Barnes gave the same explanation during a phone conversation with The Associated Press.
"Everyone is talking about how Ndamukong shouldn't have blocked the 300-pound lineman because there was no way he was going to catch a linebacker," Barnes said. "If that's the case, the lineman should've known he wasn't going to catch the linebacker. But the lineman did attempt to catch the linebacker and Ndamukong attempted to block him. But everyone wants to make Ndamukong out to be a villain."
Suh might not be a bad guy in the real world, but -- let's be honest here -- he's about as close as you come to a villain on the field. Barnes is defending his client because that's what an agent does. But no one -- repeat, no one -- is buying the persecution act.
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