NFL Suspends Lions Center Dominic Raiola for Final Game of Season
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(NEW YORK) — The Detroit Lions will be without one of their most vital veteran lineman Sunday when the team takes on the Green Bay Packers in their most important game of the season.
After stomping on Chicago Bears defensive lineman Ego Ferguson’s ankle in the team’s Week 16 game, the NFL suspended Dominic Raiola for the regular season finale.
Raiola was suspended as much for the stomp, supported by visual evidence, as he was for being a repeat offender.
Merton Hanks, the NFL’s vice president of football operations was the one who handed down the suspension. According to the league, this is Raiola’s sixth “safety-related rules violation since 2010.”
Rookie Travis Swanson will likely get the nod to start in Raiola’s absence.
The Lions (11-4) and Packers (11-4) will face off in Green Bay for the NFC North title this week. The Lions could potentially lock up the No.1 seed in the NFC playoffs with a win and a Seattle loss.
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