Green Bay Packers wideout Davante Adams wasn't happy with Sunday's hit to the head from Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis.
Neither was the NFL.
The league announced Monday that Davis will be suspended for the final two games of the regular season for the illegal collision that left Adams with a concussion.
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport was told that Davis plans to appeal the ban. If upheld, the veteran defender will be eligible to return to the team's active roster on Monday, Jan. 1, following games against the Bucs and Falcons.
Davis went after Adams following a third-quarter interception by Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The flagrant helmet-to-helmet hit drew the ire of Packers players, with wideout Randall Cobb telling ESPN: "I was pretty pissed off at first when I saw the replay at how unnecessary it was. But once I saw 'Tae' moving, he was all right and I was happy to see he was able to walk off the field."
NFL VP of football operations Jon Runyan handed down the punishment, telling Thomas in a statement: "During an interception return, you took a path toward your opponent who was pursuing the play and delivered a violent and unnecessary blindside block to his head and neck area. You have been previously fined for violations of safety-related rules. Your actions yesterday warrant an escalation of discipline, not only because they were flagrant, but also because of your status as a repeat offender."
Coach Ron Rivera told NFL Network's Tiffany Blackmon that he was surprised by the two-game suspension:
Packers coach Mike McCarthy also weighed in on the hit:
"I like Ron Rivera and I've always respected the play style of his football team, but that hit, that was a dirty hit," McCarthy said Monday night.
Sunday marked the third concussion Adams has suffered over the past two years, leaving him frustrated enough on Monday to tweet: "I'll never understand it. Game is already dangerous enough and we got Pro Bowl players out here head hunting and saying they 'didn't mean to harm me.'"
Davis apologized to Adams via Twitter, but that wasn't enough for the league office. If the suspension sticks, the playoff-hopeful Panthers will go without one of their most important players for the rest of 2017.
