NFL Says Terrell Suggs' Hit on Sam Bradford was Legal

Photo credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

NFL officials czar Dean Blandino, who parties with Jerry Jones’ son on a giant bus with a Cowboys logo emblazoned on it, said on the NFL Network today that Terrell Suggs’ hit on Sam Bradford was legal. From Pro Football Talk:

“If the quarterback has an option, he’s considered a runner until he either clearly doesn’t have the football or he re-establishes himself as a passer,” Blandino said. “So it’s not a foul by rule. It’s something that we’ll make sure that we cover with our game officials because the defensive end coming off the edge, he doesn’t know if the quarterback is going to keep it, he doesn’t know if he’s going to take off and run or drop back and so we treat the quarterback in that instance as a runner until he clearly re-establishes as a passer or until he clearly doesn’t have the football.”

I know I’m in the minority here, but I agree with the ruling. I mean, yeah, it was maybe a little cheap – I’d classify it as slightly nefarious, but then again, so is the Ravens’ entire existence – but in real-time the case could certainly be made that Bradford still had the ball. This is only such a big deal because Jason Peters and Sam Bradford made it one after the game.