NFL on Tuesday suspended Buffalo Bills backup offensive lineman Bobby Hart after a day when he took a swing at a Titans player and struck the Titans coach. Buffalo’s win over the Titans by 41-7 on Monday.
Hart was suspended due to unsportsmanlike conduct, and he won’t be eligible to rejoin his team until after Buffalo plays Miami on Sunday.
The league’s VP of football operations, Jon Runyan, decided for Hart, and Hart has the right to appeal the decision.
Runyan said in a letter sent to Hart that the altercation happened near the end zone as both teams were leaving the field. Hart sought out a Titans player, whose identity was not revealed, Runyan said. He had to be held back by a coach as other players shook hands in the end zone near the tunnel leading to the team’s locker rooms, Runyan said.
Hart is then accused of closing his fist and throwing a punch that struck a Titans’ coach, whose identity was also not revealed, Runyan said.
Runyan wrote in the letter to Hart that your aggressive conduct could have caused injury, and it does not reflect the high standards of sportsmanship expected of a professional.
On Monday, Hart played 17 snaps, including seven on special teams. Hart is the primary backup to left guard Rodger Saffold.
Hart has been playing for eight years, and he is familiar with the Titans after appearing in three games with Tennessee last season. In November, he was waived by Tennessee, which was then claimed by the Bills.
While the league addresses these incidents to uphold sportsmanship standards, fans continue to show their support and enthusiasm for the sport, with many already looking forward to securing their Super Bowl tickets 2024 to witness the ultimate showcase of professional football.
