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.
(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
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407 comments Add your comment
gdawginkalamazoo
October 25th, 2011
11:58 am
enz, you are correct, that’s what matter in the end. I hope the Lions get the next one.
Elvis
October 25th, 2011
12:24 pm
He did it. He knows he did it. He is a punk for doing it. His coach is a punk. The Lions came out wanting to scrap and they got their asses handed to them. Feel sorry for Calvin Johnson and Stafford, at least they have a little class. FACE it Lions, you came out running your mouths and scored 1 TD on blown coverage.
Rusty
October 25th, 2011
12:27 pm
So Weems #14, Snelling #44, Clabo #77, & Reynolds #75 all were the closest to Suh and Avril. Let’s get them on record saying this is true. Because McClure barely glances over toward their direction when Matt Ryan is down and Roddy White comes running in from the opposite side of the field. Why doesn’t this reporter ask the four closest Falcons to Suh and Avril if this is true. Obviously for McClure and White to hear this they would have needed to say it pretty loud. And so far we have Matt Ryan saying he didn’t hear anything. Suh and Avril denying it. Also Stephen Tulloch who is standing right near Avril and Suh denies it (detroitlions.com). Roddy White changing his quote from kicking to making a kicking motion and not identifying Cliff Avril. Merely saying he was not sure if it was #93 (on the sidelines) or #92. Todd McClure is the only witness for the prosecution. Even the two Lions (Jackson and Williams) you can see in the frame look pretty concerned about Matt Ryan. It is only a he said/she said story because some reporters are not doing their do diligence. Please let’s interview those four Falcons at least and put in a request to the NFL to get the audio from McClure’s mic. And please don’t tell me they do not want to go on record with saying it.
Eh
October 25th, 2011
12:29 pm
Vick has always been overrated. But I’ll give him credit for one thing: He was able to beat one of the worst playoff teams in postseason history (Rams), which is more than you can say about the Saints last season. LOL
Rusty
October 25th, 2011
12:31 pm
If it is a “he said/she said” story why does this reporter not ask more witnesses. Isn’t that just basic 101 journalism. Can they really be afraid to go on record?
LOLwut
October 25th, 2011
12:34 pm
Detroit was playing against terrible teams, that’s why they have an inflated record. But as soon as the 49ers and Falcons roll into town, the Lions back down and find other ways to make headlines to cover up the fact that they got embarrassed ON the field. Heh……
CGD..
October 25th, 2011
12:38 pm
Any Falcon Fanatic who puts Ryan above MV7 on the playing field is certifiable…..
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.”
Great job @JackDonaghy! You hit the nail on the head!
Mr Charlie is holding a grudge against MV7 for obvious reasons…….
Ice Melt has a very poor QBR of 63.1 and sliding South for a reason..He’s inaccurate BIG TIME!!
Zero playoff wins….. Thats what matters….
When the running gets shut down in the playoffs,PLAYOFFS cause it will, see 2nd half of last GB encounter your QB has to be able to step up his game… A 63.1 rating is brutal..Not going to get it done..
MV7 aint coming back to be blamed..Long gone….
7 years and counting Fanatics!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So what he knows the playbook.It arm does not……….
Rusty
October 25th, 2011
12:41 pm
So the “Credibility Contest” marches on. Roddy White says he was misquoted. Mr Shultz does not include that in the “update” and the Lions consistently deny it. Tick Tock, Tick Tock…. there is still time for a mea culpa Mr. Shultz. Unless of course you recorded Roddy in the original interview and you can counter his claim about being misquoted. Please do tell.
CGD..
October 25th, 2011
12:41 pm
Vick is not overrated, but ICE MELT SURE IS…………..
SherlockHomeowner
October 25th, 2011
12:41 pm
Screw what the reporters say, the tape doesn’t lie. Avril clearly kicks out his foot at the 0:22 second mark of the video (bottom right corner while looking down at Ryan, and the Falcons players turn to him and likely to say something. Roddy looks in that direction also. Suh already has a track record for being dirty, so yeah, karma came true at the end with Stafford limping off the field. Investigation over. Case closed.
Ivan
October 25th, 2011
12:44 pm
The Vick fans, living in their nostalgic fantasy of the past, still amuse me to this day with they’re inability to stay away from these blogs.
Ivan
October 25th, 2011
12:47 pm
“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.”
ROFL. And how has the almighty Vick done with his “Dream Team.”??
LMAO
CGD..
October 25th, 2011
12:48 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…
Wow! Yeah ICE MELTS in great company? lol……
Expect the same results come playoffs time…….
Reality Check
October 25th, 2011
12:51 pm
Fans still defending Vick? LMAO… He shot a bird at you people when you supported him. Are you upset that Atlanta cut him and the Feds locked him up? Awwwww poor baby! Well, now he’s in Philadelphia throwing game-ending interceptions in the playoffs and regular season. Why don’t you go up there and put on your butler’s outfit and serve him tea since you are so loyal? Only a clown deserts his team because one player SCREWED HIMSELF and COST HIMSELF his freedom. The rest of the NFL is laughing at old Falcons fans who still root for Vick no matter where he goes. They’re questioning your intelligence. Think about it: If the Eagles miss the playoff, Reid could be the THIRD coach he gotten fired in 10 years! Ryan may not be as talented, but you’ll never see him in handcuffs or embarrassing the franchise for doing something that dumb off the field. Face it, Vick is an idiot and so are the blind loyalists who make excuses for him both on and off the field.
CGD..
October 25th, 2011
12:54 pm
Vick will always be my baby. I miss him! :’(
Rusty
October 25th, 2011
12:57 pm
Albert Breer writes on Twitter that the truth is somewhere in the middle. To this Lawrence Jackson #94 wrties back:
LoJackson94
@AlbertBreer not somewhere in middle…look at the cheap shots they take during games going for guys knees from behind grabbing legs cont..
LoJackson94
@AlbertBreer maybe one day the NFL will stand up to Dirty O-Line play…before someone gets a knee taken out… #FILMNEVERLIESGOLOOK
23 Oct
Ron Paul
October 25th, 2011
1:00 pm
Wait, didn’t this CGD guy say he was a fairweather falcons fan? Now he’s talking trash about them and the qb? How is that possible?
Mora less Petrino
October 25th, 2011
1:00 pm
Hey CGD, I wanted Vick to succeed here, but he is long gone due to his own actions. If you want to defend him, you might want to head over to some Eagle blogs, as the City of Brotherly Love isn’t exactly loving on him. Ryan is the QB here, and the Falcons are likely to have their fourth straight winning season under his leadership. Like Ryan or not, he’s getting the job done and hasn’t created any pointless and embarrassing distractions like RM7. (Ron Mexico 7).
Rusty
October 25th, 2011
1:03 pm
Sherlock you see Avril’s foot in the bottom corner of the screen go up, but there is no way to know if that is a kicking motion. It looks to me like he and the offensive line are still engage with each other. Please post a video on youtube with more than a foot. Let’s see a full shot of both Suh and Avril during this alleged altercation.
CGD..
October 25th, 2011
1:04 pm
win the darn thing RP..Is that possible?…Not
Rusty
October 25th, 2011
1:06 pm
If it is a “he said/she said” story why does this reporter not post a link of a video of Cliff Avril making a kicking motion. Yes one that you can see more than just a foot.
CGD..
October 25th, 2011
1:06 pm
38-18 “regular” season wins..looks great on paper……
emphasis on the operating word, (REGULAR)……..
CRICKETS…………….Yawn…………….
Randy
October 25th, 2011
1:35 pm
If Suh and Avril reall did what Roddy white claims then White and the o-line are a bunch of B****** they did not even stand up for their QB. I would have gotten in their face and pushed them down for doing that to my QB
Eric C.
October 25th, 2011
1:51 pm
Forget this “he said/he said” garbage…how about Matt Ryan coming back after getting his ankle bent 90 degrees by a 300 lb lineman and only missing two plays. Not to mention…he about got his head ripped off on an earlier play. ‘Matty Ice’ may still have a ways to go to be an elite QB, but the dude is tough as nails. He is a real football player who keeps his mouth shut and plays the game with grit, determination, and intelligence.
Objective Football fan
October 25th, 2011
2:01 pm
As far as I’m concerned, this situation involves a bunch of players on both sides who don’t have clean reputations. Suh, White, Avril, Falcons O-Lineman… all have been called out before for being dirty. The only person with a clean track record is Ryan and he hasn’t said anything, so this is really a non-story. More (retaliation) penalties would have made an ugly game that much uglier. Everyone, Detroit and Atlanta fans, just pipe down and take your wives or girlfriends out to dinner tonight.
Lesa
October 25th, 2011
2:39 pm
I’m back! Sorry I was so crabby. I hadn’t eaten my lunch yet.
Elvis
October 25th, 2011
2:43 pm
Can someone tell me if there’s a piece of chicken stuck on the back of my pants? I’m too chubby to see it myself. And pooh on you, you stinky Lions.
wreckbuzz
October 25th, 2011
2:45 pm
I seen the trash talkin’ and I got it all here on my VCR. The betamax tape don’t lie! Anyone who wants to see it, come over to my mom’s house. I’m in the basement.
LOLwut
October 25th, 2011
2:50 pm
It’s funny how us Falconers rip on Detroit’s wins, but they beat Chicago and Tampa and these two teams beat the snot out of us. Plus, Detroit beat Green Bay last year when we’ve lost to them twice. That includes that 48-21 can of whoop@ss they laid on us in the playoffs. Who’d of thunk it? Have a nice day.
why would this surprise?
October 25th, 2011
3:03 pm
Another typical ghetto trash player…..do these classless athletes/people really surprise anyone, anymore by their actions or words?
Matt
October 25th, 2011
3:15 pm
RODDY WHITE JEFF. HIS NAME IS RODDY WHITE. THAT WOULD BE LIKE ME CALLING YOU JERMEY SHULTZ…
Matt
October 25th, 2011
3:16 pm
AH I JUST GOT IT SORRY JEFF
houstondawgfan
October 25th, 2011
3:58 pm
Its funny how ESPN is taking up for SUH, like he is the next Reggie White. They are more of like flipping the story to make it seem like the Falcons are cry babies. Its a matter or courtesy in the sport. You are always going to have trash talking, but not if someone is seriously injured. ESPN is a no better than Fox’s republican stance. Then thye lose sight on that the Falcons won the game and made it seem like the Lions are the winners and the FAlcons are whinning. ESPN is so phony and bias.
Paige Smith
October 25th, 2011
4:04 pm
Who is Ndamukong Suh? Rookie of the Year last year in case anyone forgot! Falcons sounds like a bunch of cry babies in my opinion.
?
October 25th, 2011
4:06 pm
Matt, you are a dumbass….understand what you comment on first.
Paige Smith
October 25th, 2011
4:10 pm
It’s funny too how the Falcons’ story has changed now regarding the kicking incident. So, which is it, did they kick Matt Ryan’s feet or not? Let’s get the lies straight here please. Thank you! Plus, Matty Ryan didn’t hear anything? The offensive line guys should have probably told Matt Ryan the lies they were going to say about Suh, so Matt didn’t contradict their statements. Funny!!!!!!
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
October 25th, 2011
4:11 pm
CHOKE is ranked 24th in passing. If there were no rookies he would be number 32.
BUSTTTTTTTT
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
October 25th, 2011
4:14 pm
Mr. Elite HA HA
Paige Smith
October 25th, 2011
4:25 pm
Cowards too!!! Like someone else said, if the Falcons were that upset about the taunting, why didn’t they do anything about it when they were on the field? Seems a little strange to me that they heard and saw this on the field and did nothing about it. They wait until after the game and then make accusations to the media? Really? Very, very weird!
SeenThisB4
October 25th, 2011
5:04 pm
New Orleans Aints Rule
SeenThisB4
October 25th, 2011
5:07 pm
I mean Saints
Suh-icide Squad
October 25th, 2011
5:54 pm
So that’s how we handle on the field issues…run and whine to the media?
Which season did you guys win a Super Bowl? And don’t give me the “at least we made it” argument. Isn’t that the one where your safety, ahem, went looking for a little Midnight Delight?
Grow up Falcons, you won the game, but your team is a bunch of losers. Did Aaron Rodgers whine last year after the playoff game where he could have said “I think it was awful that Atlanta’s defense was so mean to us. We were hoping to score 62 and they let us only get 48.” No, he was content with 48-points. Football’s a rough sport played by tough people…grow a pair!!! You could only dream of having a player like Suh.
We eventually got rid of Matt “The Cancer” Millen and stopped drafting over-hyped wide receivers. You’d think the Falcons would have learned and drafted…oh I don’t know, someone who can tackle.
War the Atlanta Braves’ collapse and the Winnipeg Jets
Suh-icide Squad
October 25th, 2011
6:04 pm
Vick has never and will never win anything except maybe a fantasy football championship for your team. Overrated stat monger
LOLwut
October 25th, 2011
6:23 pm
Jim Schwartz kicked Mike Smith in the postgame handshake.
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
October 25th, 2011
7:51 pm
Fullback done = no yards for Turner = More picks for CHOKE = Another failure
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
October 25th, 2011
7:53 pm
The POST Mike Vicky CURSE continues
Matt "CHOKE" Ryan
October 25th, 2011
7:55 pm
24th in passing HA HA HA
falconfan 24-7
October 26th, 2011
12:03 am
Kick rocks you trolls hating on Matty Ice. We won the flippin game.
Rusty
October 26th, 2011
12:08 am
Todd McClure: “I have no respect for Suh and Avril!”
Roddy White: “They taunted an injured player!”
(Obvious follow up question)
Reporter: “So what did you do about it?”
Todd McClure: “I told you dude.”
Roddy White: “Wait is that a trick question?”
Falcons: Play 60!
October 26th, 2011
3:41 am
“24th in passing HA HA HA”
9th in passing yards and 6th in TDs
Only things I care about