Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James was suspended this week for hitting an opponent in the helmet and head coach Jim Harbaugh strongly believes the NFL made the wrong decision.
James lowered his helmet and delivered a high hit on Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth during the Chargers’ 20-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. The NFL reviewed the play and suspended James for one game as he is a repeat offender when it comes to unnecessary roughness penalties.
On Wednesday, Harbaugh told reporters that he was “disappointed” in the NFL’s decision to suspend James. The Chargers coach felt James only hit Freiermuth in the head as a direct result of Freiermuth throwing a stiff-arm after the tight end established himself as a runner.
“There was not a defenseless player, changed his course, and I thought that Derwin’s helmet was stiff-armed by Mr. Freiermuth,” Harbaugh said, via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. “I thought that caused his head to make the contact, and I thought the contact was first with the forearm, then the shoulder, then the head.”
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