Ndamukong Suh, Cliff Avril accused of taunting injured Matt Ryan
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Detroit’s Ndamukong Suh and Cliff Avril could very easily let their playing on the field do the talking -- each of them recorded a sack of Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan during Sunday’s game. But according to some Falcons players, the Lions defensive linemen ran their mouths at the most inappropriate time.
Falcons center Todd McClure and wide receiver Roddy White are accusing Suh and Avril of taunting Ryan while he was injured during the Atlanta’s 23-16 victory.
“I had respect for Suh before the game,” McClure told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “But when Matt was on the ground, the things [Suh] was saying and the trash he was talking was definitely uncalled for. There are certain things you don’t do. [He said], ‘Get the cart’ and several other things that I can’t repeat.”
Ryan had to leave the game briefly after teammate Will Svitek stepped on his left ankle, tweaking his knee.
“I lost a whole lot of respect for 90 [Suh] today, and also 92 [Avril],” White said. “[What] they were doing when Matt got hurt, that was unacceptable. ... Like 92 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, ‘Get the cart’? Are you serious? Come on. When you compete, you never want to see a guy get hurt.”
Suh has not commented publicly on the allegations, but Avril denied them via Twitter: “Come on I’m not in the business of hurting not one guy on the field... I would never taunt anyone on an injury.”
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-- Chuck Schilken
The Sports Xchange contributed to this report.
