Ndamukong Suh fires back at ‘Rodney’ White, Falcons (UPDATED)

Here's Ndamukong Suh grabbing Matt Ryan's facemask, not that there's anything wrong with that.

Here's Ndamukong Suh grabbing Matt Ryan's facemask, not that there's anything wrong with that.

(UPDATED: 10:40 p.m. with White comments.)

Please excuse Ndamukong Suh if he is not well-versed in what’s considered acceptable behavior for an NFL player. Turns out, he may not even know the names of many NFL players.

Suh, the Detroit Lions’ defensive tackle who reportedly taunted injured Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan Sunday, fired back Monday, telling Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press: “Do I need Rodney White’s respect? No. Leave it at that.”

In fairness to Suh, he’s right. He doesn’t need Rodney White’s respect, whoever Rodney White is. The assumption is he doesn’t care about earning Roddy White’s respect, either.

This all started Sunday when White,Todd McClure and other Falcons said they heard Suh, Cliff Avril and possibly other Detroit linemen taunting Ryan when he was lying on the field. One of White’s comments: “Like 92 [Avril] was kicking [Ryan’s] feet, saying, ‘Get him off the field.’ We don’t do stuff like that. We don’t rally over guys when they get hurt. It was just inappropriate behavior. I mean, [Suh said] ‘Get the cart’? Are you serious? Come on. When you compete, you never want to see a guy get hurt.”

Neither Avril nor Suh were available for comment after the game. Avril took to Twitter Sunday night to deny the accusations: “Come on. I’m not in the business of hurting not one guy on the field… I would never taunt anyone on an injury.”

Suh’s comments Monday came from Burkett’s Twitter site. He reaffirmed what most know — that he doesn’t seem to care what anybody thinks about him — and he also took a shot at Falcons’ offensive linemen. The comments:

Referring to the fact Ryan tripped over Falcons tackle Will Svitek:  “To me it’s karma. For all the bad stuff they’ve done in the past, their offensive lineman hurt their own QB. So I’ll leave it at that”

His quasi-denial: “I’m not even near their quarterback so how am I going to trash talk somebody that has a medical staff that’s all around him?”

The slap: “Do I need Rodney White’s respect? No. Leave it at that.”

He also called it, “He said/she said.” As Burkett noted, Suh never identified the “she.”

UPDATE: Here are some comments from White to the NFL Network, via ProFootballTalk.com:

“I mean I don’t really have much to say about what [Ndamukong Suh] said. I just know he’s going to say whatever he wants to say, but we know what they said. We were standing right there in the huddle, we saw when he went down and that’s before the medical staff got there that they said was in front of the play. . . .

“I know Suh said what he said. He said, ‘Go get the cart for him, get him out of here.’ He knows he said that and we’re not going to go back and forth about what he said-she said.  And then he’s going to say it was karma for what we’ve done in the past when their quarterback gets hurt on the last play of the game and they have an MRI today.”

OK, this is a he said/he said. But Suh had been gaining a negative reputation in the league even before Sunday. So if this is a credibility contest, he’s probably going to lose.

By Jeff Schultz

Follow me on Twitter (@JeffSchultzAJC). Friend me on Facebook (Facebook.com/JeffSchultzAJC).

407 comments Add your comment

Mr Charlie

October 24th, 2011
10:39 pm

and CGD, So Flacco might unleash a 50 yarder at any time….I would rather a qb that consistently gets 1st down than one looking for a home run. That said, Flacco does fit in nicely filling that huge void left by Trent Dilfer.

Matt "CHOKE" Ryan

October 24th, 2011
10:40 pm

CGD..

October 24th, 2011
10:31 pm
Joe only cost the Ravens about half what Ryan cost the Falcons??

_______________________________________

Actually 42 million less (CHOKE 72 vs Flacco 30)

So that’s 4 playoff wins for 42 million less.

I wonder what an economist would call that deal :)

Mr Charlie

October 24th, 2011
10:40 pm

Just goes to show, every game in the NFL is a dogfight.

Matt "CHOKE" Ryan

October 24th, 2011
10:42 pm

Joey Harrington > CHOKE :)

Mr Charlie

October 24th, 2011
10:42 pm

Flacco does a great job being the QB biaotch who just keeps his mouth shut, tries not to fumble, and says out of Ray Lewis’ way. Great leader, just the guy to replace Trend Dilfer.

Mr Charlie

October 24th, 2011
10:43 pm

Joey Harrington > Trend Dilfer

Mr Charlie

October 24th, 2011
10:44 pm

Ryan “Ice” >>>>>>>tougher than”quit” Vick.

Matt "CHOKE" Ryan

October 24th, 2011
10:44 pm

I would rather my qb not throw passes so bad that my star Rookie who cost us a whole draft to get done for the season :)

CGD..

October 24th, 2011
10:44 pm

#35 is running up the middle and shredding the Ravens defense! Just punishing people!!!

Mr Charlie

October 24th, 2011
10:46 pm

Ryan cost us Julio, and all we do is win. Hmmm.

D. Ellis

October 24th, 2011
10:46 pm

Gabbert out playing Flacco this evening.

Matt "CHOKE" Ryan

October 24th, 2011
10:46 pm

Joey Harrington………….. ZERO Playoff wins

Ryan Leaf………………. ZERO Playoff wins

Tim Couch ……………….. ZERO PLayoff wins

CHOKE ………………….. ZERO Playoff wins

See a trend :)

Mr Charlie

October 24th, 2011
10:49 pm

Choke just looking backwards as usual…..Lets be sure to add Freeman to the list.

Mr Charlie

October 24th, 2011
10:51 pm

gotta catch that ball.

PMC

October 24th, 2011
10:52 pm

Too much talk from this team. I’m not even concerned with the Packers or the Lions or anyone else.

The Falcons need to be quiet and just play football. Mike Smith needs to put this to bed. This “respect” BS…. who cares?

They are all professional football players, everyone of them is freaking good or they wouldn’t be getting paid to play football.

Leave this, respect crap at the door. Shut up and play football.. Have fun, be spirited, but put that into your game, not the freaking celebration or worry what some guy says.

Why is Todd McClure talking, if he’s saying crap you don’t like clip the SOB on the next play and give it to him in his ear hole on the way down.

Mr Charlie

October 24th, 2011
10:54 pm

PMC, agreed 100%. Lineman should not even talk to the media.

CGD..

October 24th, 2011
10:55 pm

Matt “CHOKE” Ryan

October 24th, 2011
10:46 pm

“Joey Harrington………….. ZERO Playoff wins

Ryan Leaf………………. ZERO Playoff wins

Tim Couch ……………….. ZERO PLayoff wins

CHOKE ………………….. ZERO Playoff wins

See a trend”

Not a good look for our Franchise QB? You think? Whew…..

PMC

October 24th, 2011
10:55 pm

The idea that so and so is dirty. Man, it’s just sissification of the male in our society.

SHUT UP and beat the guy in front of you.

CGD..

October 24th, 2011
10:58 pm

MR BLANK SHOOTING BLANKS!

R-E-S-P-E-C-T??????????? WIN A DARN SUPERBOWL??? HUH?

CGD..

October 24th, 2011
10:58 pm

FLACO STARTING TO HEAT UP NOW…………

RamRod

October 24th, 2011
10:59 pm

These are some of the dumbest comments ever. It’s football, fools, not tiddly winks! Did you dummies see the replay of the incident; falcon’s player stepped on Ryan’s ankle, no Lion player was within 8 feet of him..how could he be kicked while he was down..Roddy White is obviously hallucinating , and what the hell is wrong with saying “get a cart”

Mr Charlie

October 24th, 2011
10:59 pm

Well, it is only Ryan’s 4th year, he has plenty of time. It is not like we have some old washed up has been quitter QB who’s last playoff glory was 2004, getting bounced by Donovan McNabb.

Mr Charlie

October 24th, 2011
11:03 pm

I do have to say, I admire how Vick has changed his image. He went from criminal to quitter, and who said he can’t change?

Mr Charlie

October 24th, 2011
11:06 pm

“FG no good, like the Ravens offense all night” LOL

CGD..

October 24th, 2011
11:07 pm

7 SEASONS ALREADY? SEEMS LIKE 15 YEARS THAT LAST NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME THAT MV7 TOOK THEM TO….

I WONDER IF THIS CLUB IS GOOD ENOUGH TO GET BACK?

RAVENS OFFENSE TOOK THE NIGHT OFF???? ZERO POINTS WITH 2 MINS LEFT IN THE 3RD QTR..

Mr Charlie

October 24th, 2011
11:14 pm

CGD, we were 1 game away last year, not reason to think we cant get back…just got to get to the playoffs first, ask Josh Freeman how easy that is.

Sid

October 24th, 2011
11:15 pm

That was a cheap dirty shot on Ovie too…………..the stench in Detroit lives on.

Mr Charlie

October 24th, 2011
11:16 pm

Boy, some gun there.

Mr Charlie

October 24th, 2011
11:18 pm

I think I pulled a hamstring just watching that cannon shot from Flacco.

Rodney King

October 24th, 2011
11:36 pm

Can’t we all just get along?

CGD..

October 24th, 2011
11:38 pm

CGD..

October 24th, 2011
11:39 pm

Joe this is embarrassing!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CGD..

October 24th, 2011
11:43 pm

What a catch! Roddy would have dropped that one!

Maurice

October 25th, 2011
12:00 am

What a punk. First off, the Lions are soft and it shows when they are crying about the O-line cutting people on film. I didn’t see any personal foul calls on the O-line. Second, yeah, you can hit the QB but can’t really stop the run b/c I think Micheal Turner just went for another 5 yards on you jokers. Third, I guess it is karma that YOUR QB went down too, huh? What a joke.

Dave

October 25th, 2011
12:01 am

Homers! I’m not a homer for Detroit or Atlanta. Who cares – watch the game vs. what the players and the writers have to add. I highly doubt that what was said is reality – game time show’s it’s probably far from the truth. Think of Suh what you want but he rarely get’s upset with whatever other players say – but he was actually pissed during his interview. Who know’s but just because either player belongs to your “homer” team…..doesn’t mean you have to jump on the wagon. Stafford’s injury? Who cares…they played better the last 4 games of last year and he wasn’t playing.

bigstack19

October 25th, 2011
12:05 am

Hey Roddy White, don’t get in a war of words with idiots because they just drag you down to their level.

Mr.NoName

October 25th, 2011
12:10 am

Let me start of by saying it was a good win by the Falcons. It’s hard to get a win on the road against a decent team in the NFL. With that being said, Todd McClure I believe and Suh should be ashamed, but Roddy White no such much. Roddy is a push-off-artist with a big mouth. I will agree with a couple of things Roddy said: ‘We don’t do stuff like that. We don’t rally over guys when they get hurt.’

CGD..

October 25th, 2011
12:24 am

Hey Larry, didnt Dled ban you temporarily? Hmmm……

steve

October 25th, 2011
12:26 am

hahahahah rodney what a bitch. if he had such a problem with it why didnt he say anything to his face? running to the media like the baby back bitch he really is.

Rusty

October 25th, 2011
12:32 am

Let me get this right. The whole Atlanta offense is standing right there. Look at the video Todd McClure is standing right behind an injured Matt Ryan and at least four Atlanta players are between Suh and Avril (who are nowhere near Matt Ryan). They must of yelled loud enough for Todd McClure and Roddy White to both hear them. That means everyone heard them. Even Todd McClure’s microphone (yes let us hear what the mic picked up). So at least most of the Atlanta offense heard this and no one does anything? That right there tells me somebody in Atlanta is not telling the truth. Detroit’s O-line is not that impressive but guaranteed there is a fight if someone says that to them when Matt Stafford is on the ground. So either Todd McClure and Roddy White are not telling the truth or they are punks that do not stand up for their quarterback.

Also Suh was not saying that it was “Karma” that Matt Ryan got injured. He was saying it was “Karma” that it was the Atlanta O-line that was guilty of injuring him.

UPDATED: Hmm Roddy White already took back the “Kicking” part of the story. Hmm Maybe the reporter just is not that good and quoting people.

The Boss

October 25th, 2011
12:34 am

Joe Flacco – CARRIED BY A GREAT DEFENSE and Ray Rice to playoff wins.

Matt Ryan – Just him and a bowling ball named Turner carrying Atlanta to the playoffs.

Vick – Levenworth.

‘Nuff said.

Hammer Time

October 25th, 2011
12:40 am

Lions are soft as a newborn, just like the Eagles. All those big names and big talk and they just get punched in the mouth.

Ndfaipaelrgteng Sue needs to STFU before he gets hi-low’d next game.

TrishaDishaWarEagle

October 25th, 2011
12:44 am

Suh is from cameroon, like Eddie Murphy’s character on the train in Trading Places..

BEEF JERKY TIME!!!

abooli abooli abooli abu!

BTW , for someone who’s QB was hurt and limped off on their last offensive play of the game, maybe KARMA was not the word he was looking for?

TrishaDishaWarEagle

October 25th, 2011
12:46 am

The Boss..

I don;t think people will be taunting Ryan with Flacco! Flacco! chants anytime soon, after tonights MNF performance..

Hammer Time

October 25th, 2011
12:59 am

Anyone else remember Chris Cooley running his mouth in the offseason about how Tony Gonzalez wasn’t an elite tight end anymore?

Well, Tony’s still out there making tough catches, setting records, and winning games, while Cooley is on the injured list and his Redskins are on the way down. Stay humble, kids.

Let's Be Honest

October 25th, 2011
1:09 am

If Harvey Dahl is still here, this wouldn’t be an issue.

Falcons don’t have to prove their toughness, they ran the football down Detroit’s throat and STafford hobbled off the field. End of story. NEXT.

Hardly

October 25th, 2011
1:12 am

You’re such a homer. You keep citing this “kicking” at Ryan’s feet. You have a video up that clearly shows there is no kicking at Ryan’s feet. When this is unequivocally wrong, as you can clearly see in the video, how can you give *any* credence to the rest of the allegations? Because other people have had things to say? And the next guy of course will cite this “incident” which is already false as anyone can see from the video? Really, shame on you for being a homer, but double shame for perpetuating lies.

Mora less Petrino

October 25th, 2011
1:14 am

Wasn’t Damu-Kong Suh a TV show in the 70’s starring David Carradine? You have much to learn Grasshopper.

chuck

October 25th, 2011
1:28 am

Last year when Fairley was running amok, I said that UGA should have run a chop block at Fairley on the next play after his first of many cheap shots on Murray. The message should have been clear. You take a cheap shot and we will return the shot. I bet it would have put an end to the crap from Fairley before he escalated it with each “turning of the other cheek”. The offensive lines in the NFL should treat Suh the same way.

Is it coincidental that both these thugs are on the same team?

Fussball Fan

October 25th, 2011
1:30 am

It’s football!! Falcons linemen in the past have had a reputation of being dirty, but many O-Line men who play to the whistle have that “dirty” label. Suh has also had a reputation for being dirty also, so I think it is a wash. The issue I have with this whole thing is that White went to the media. Things like this happen all the time in football and other team sports. How do you handle it? You take it out on the field/between the lines. Remember “The longest yard” when Burt Reynolds kept getting hit late by the D-Lineman and he told his O-Linemen, “let him through next play”? That is old school football. If you have an issue with a guy, take it out between the lines (it doesn’t have to be dirty, you can get him back by your play), don’t run to the media or to twitter.