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
407 comments Add your comment
Goober Suh
October 25th, 2011
9:09 am
Just ask the referee if Suh said anything. He was standing right there and won’t be biased.
Mako Shark
October 25th, 2011
9:10 am
Detroits 5-2, Atlanta’s 4-3. They have a better shot at the playoffs then we do idiot…
HarryDawg
October 25th, 2011
9:11 am
Sue Boy, cry me a river. What a whimp. A man would own up to what he said. No officer , that ain’t my crack pipe.
Mako Shark
October 25th, 2011
9:13 am
Dallas will win East,New Orleans South,Packers Central. Then the 3 wild cards will be likely between Detroit,Philly,Chicago,Tampa Bay,& Atlanta. With the edge to Tampa Bay,Detroit,and Chicago right now. Detroit has a better record & Chicago & TB both beat Atlanta.
Mako Shark
October 25th, 2011
9:17 am
Goober Suh : “Just ask the referee if Suh said anything. He was standing right there and won’t be biased.”
That’s the smartest suggestion I’ve read here yet. Why doesn’t NFL ask the referee what was said Jeff ?
Lesa
October 25th, 2011
9:18 am
I guess if I watch the whole video, Avril was just reacting to our lineman pushing his helmet down by the facemask. Our offensive line is just the biggest bunch of silly jokers.
78dawg
October 25th, 2011
9:18 am
Watch out Suh…You are now a target you idiot…..
SeenThisB4
October 25th, 2011
9:20 am
LOL! Lots of trash talking, for a third place team.
Somebody Has to Say it
October 25th, 2011
9:21 am
Rappin Rodney, No Respect – No Respect
Seen.is.a.Punk
October 25th, 2011
9:33 am
SeenThisB4 “LOL! Lots of trash talking, for a third place team.”
This is funny….after all that crap you talked last year about the aint’s and their “rightful” place at the top of the division. hahahahahahaha….that didn’t happen…. NOW DID IT !!!!! Only a PUNK A$$ would talk crap like this after the aint’s CRAPPY performmace last year….. go home you loser and take the aint’s with you. Stop at the gift shop and buy you a Atlanta Falcons 2010 NFC South Division Champs hat on the way out. hahahahahahahahahhahahhah !!!!!!!!!
78dawg
October 25th, 2011
9:34 am
You watch out Suh, you big bully. I’m gonna run my fat head right into your fist.
New York 1
October 25th, 2011
9:36 am
Anyone want some breakfast? I got some left over grits here!
cejay
October 25th, 2011
9:37 am
@seenit
Chill out Douche, your aint’s are only one game up….big deal….their tourist spot at first won’t last…
Dennis Green
October 25th, 2011
9:39 am
They are who we thought they are! White and McClure put their panties on one leg at a time, just like we do.
SeenThisB4
October 25th, 2011
9:44 am
cejay: Third place, after 7 games.
You guys have your panties all up in a wad over some alledged comments from an opponent, and you make a big deal over it, cause that’s all you got to talk about. “Third place” will do that to your minds, those of you that have one.
cejay
October 25th, 2011
9:48 am
@seenit
Don’t go after me, seen.it.punk handed you your hat. Beside you do know alot about third place, seeing how the aint’s stayed there most of last year big boy
SeenThisB4
October 25th, 2011
9:58 am
cejay: Punk is one of those mindless fans I am referring to, doesn’t even have enough mental capacity to generate his own posting name. The Saints haven’t been in third place after the 3rd game since the 2008 season, so your rant is pretty much baseless.
cejay
October 25th, 2011
10:01 am
lllaaaaame……Do you have nightmares about seahawks hahahahahahaha
cejay
October 25th, 2011
10:03 am
What will you do with your life when the aint’s fall from mediocrity and go back to the cellar dwellers they’ve always been ???? hhhmmmmmm
cejay
October 25th, 2011
10:05 am
If it weren’t for the AJC Falcons blog, how would you spend your days??????
cejay
October 25th, 2011
10:05 am
SEAHAWKS !!!!!!!
cejay
October 25th, 2011
10:06 am
Do you have more fingers than friends ?????
cejay
October 25th, 2011
10:06 am
Dude….you are truely a sad individual…..:(
SeenThisB4
October 25th, 2011
10:06 am
Nightmares about the seahawks? Nawh, not like your green bay nightmares. At least the Saints can say they got beat away from home, your sorry team got manhandled twice, by green bay, in your own house. Nightmares!? LOL! (And besides, at least the Saints have a trophy! You guys are already in mediocrity this year, without one, third place).
cejay
October 25th, 2011
10:07 am
You better be good or the seahawks will get you !!!!!!!!!!!
cejay
October 25th, 2011
10:08 am
Excuses, excuses…..SEAHAWKS are coming for you !!!!!!!
cejay
October 25th, 2011
10:10 am
No more bannering with you ……I have a life, see ya turd
SeenThisB4
October 25th, 2011
10:11 am
The Saints ARE good, very good. Which your team can’t say.
THIRD Place. Three. Tres. Might as well be last, which, with Carolina coming on, might just happen to you.
MountainDawg
October 25th, 2011
10:24 am
Thug Suh (Anne) will get his via a nice leg whip or chop block…it’s a matter of time.
Creegah
October 25th, 2011
10:27 am
Mike and Mike sure got it right this morning talking about the wimpy Falcons and even more wimpier Falcon fans.
airgoody
October 25th, 2011
10:29 am
Only question I have is why didn’t Falcon players knock Suh’s teeth out when they heard his comments…
Show a little fire and stick up for your teammates, especially if an opposing player is KICKING your teammate when he is on the ground. Waiting until after the game to complain to the media is pretty gutless.
BYC
October 25th, 2011
10:30 am
Man I actually liked Suh and the Lions before this. Now if Stafford gets hurt and/or they implode back to the same old Lions, i’ll have no sympathy for them.
George I.A.
October 25th, 2011
10:37 am
suh is evidence of all that is wrong with pro ball. what a jerk !
WHODAT7556
October 25th, 2011
10:41 am
One two win, for you,
Three, four, win, some more,
Five, six, win again,
7, 8, win again,
9, 10, win again, win again, win again…
(TRY THIS ON FOR SIZE FALCANTS)…
Im just kidding.. No but seriously, (It wouldn’t make a difference whether Ryan was hurt or not to us) HOWEVER, I wouldn’t condone anyone being taunted that way, (if its true), while obviously hurt.
Thats crazy, I did hear some nasty things about the Lions!
Lesa
October 25th, 2011
10:41 am
Obviously an imposter posted this: “I guess if I watch the whole video, Avril was just reacting to our lineman pushing his helmet down by the facemask. Our offensive line is just the biggest bunch of silly jokers.”
At least I have the guts to use my own name, not hide behind some lame “screen name.” I’m outta here; this blog has degenerated even more than usual.
WHODAT7556
October 25th, 2011
10:42 am
@SeenThis
You’re everywhere huh bro???
Hey, WHODAT???!!!!! (Represent Baby)
WHODAT7556
October 25th, 2011
10:45 am
What I dont understand is how they can continue to the call us the “Aints” when we have a RING and they dont!!! Na’ who’s the real AINTS…hmmmmmmmmm
Noodle arm Ryan cant win a playoff game to save his life!
Creegah
October 25th, 2011
10:58 am
Did RODNEY White put down his purse before or after he talked to the media? If he had a beef with Suh while didn’t he settle it on the field like a man?
Atlanta1
October 25th, 2011
11:09 am
Creegah/whodat7556 = seenthis
OzzieNewsome
October 25th, 2011
11:14 am
I dont care what ANYBODY says about Roderick “Roddy” “Rotten Apple” White’s performance this past sunday against the Lions. The catch that roddy made in the corner of the endzone was one of the 10 greatest catches in NFL history. I dont see how he was able to grip the ball and still maintain posession while keeping his feet in bounds. The only problem with roddy that bothers me is that his work ethic is poor and he is NOT A CONSISTENT PERFORMER. Roddy has the tools and the makings of a hall-of-fame calibre player. Roddy doesnt care and wants to be looked at as an ameteur and not a professional. That is the only thing that bothers me about White. How can in some games you look like such a polished professional (against the Lions) and in the games against Tampa and Green Bay, Roddy looked like he was didnt know what was going on. When roddy becomes a more consistent professional, hopefully sooner rather than later, Roddy will be on the way to becoming enshrined in Canton, Ohio as a hall-of-fame wide receiver.
Bobo is Not the Problem
October 25th, 2011
11:30 am
SUH is a THUG.
Bobo is Not the Problem
October 25th, 2011
11:33 am
Pitiful Saints thug fans on here. Pitiful little babies. The Aints are the biggest losers evah. How about that 62-7 beatdown the Falcons laid on them in ‘73? I didn’t hear the talking heads mention that while the Aints tied the record for most points since ‘70, they were tying a record they helped set when they were on the losing end.
62-7.
Bwahahahahahahahahahahahah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CGD..
October 25th, 2011
11:33 am
Hey Roddy, go get a haircut today and pump some iron.. Shut up and catch the darn ball!!!!!!!!!!!
Rusty
October 25th, 2011
11:35 am
So is this reporter going to redact his quote from Roddy White about Cliff Avril kicking Matt Ryan. Even White said he didn’t say that. Waiting for a mea culpa….Tic Tock Tic Tock
Rusty
October 25th, 2011
11:37 am
By the way you corrected Dave Birkett’s name at the top of the article but left it at “Burkett” for the last half. Hmmm… Very spotty proofreading skills. That or you just don’t like the guy.
CGD..
October 25th, 2011
11:39 am
SUPERBOWL WINS
SAINTS=1
FAL-CONS=0 for 46 straight years and on till 2111…..lol
Lets see if Ryan and crew can put up 62 on INDY in two weeks??????????? Not….
Falcons 24, Indy 14
wreckbuzz
October 25th, 2011
11:42 am
The only thing that needs to be said is 23-16. All the facemask grabs, shoving, trash talking didn’t score a single point in that game for the boy named Suh and his Li(e)ons.
I hope we see them in January so we can deliver them some more “karma”.
gdawginkalamazoo
October 25th, 2011
11:49 am
IF Suh was standing there talking all this trash as he is reported to have been doing, then it is good to know that the OL has Ryan’s back. I didn’t see a single Falcon OL in Suh’s face telling him to shut his trap. Definitely not Roddy White or anybody else. You would think that they would stand up for their QB if the D was running smack. I can tell you this, if that had been Stafford on the ground and the D line was taunting him, Dominic Raiola would have been body slamming somebody.
enz
October 25th, 2011
11:52 am
Scoreboard, B***ches…
JackDonaghy
October 25th, 2011
11:53 am
MrCharlie, the QB you stated that could not pronounce the plays, took that sorry excuse of a team in Atlanta to an NFC Championship game, and was the first opposing QB in NFL history to win a playoff game in Lambeau field. And did it against Brett Favre. He did this with NO running game and their best WR was not even a WR, it was a TE. He also had his current team up 31-21 when he left the game this year with an injury playing your overrated QB in Atlanta.
The WR core, Running game, offensive line, TE and defense that Cryin Ryan CURRENTLY has in Atlanta is head and shoulders above what that former QB you talked about had when he was there. With all that, Ryan has NO playoff wins and threw a perfect pass to……TRAMON WILLIAMS before the half giving the Packers 7 “free” points in last years playoffs. The same Matt Ryan that got embarrassed AGAIN by the Packers on their home turf this year. Matt “Cryin” Ryan has done nothing for Atlanta thus far. Have him win a playoff game before you insult the only QB in the last 7 years to actually win a playoff game for the sorry a$$ Falcons.