Broncos safety Kareem Jackson has suspension cut in half, teammates come to his defense

Denver Broncos safety Kareem Jackson’s four-game suspension for illegal hits was reduced on appeal to two games Tuesday.

Derrick Brooks cut the suspension in half after hearing Jackson’s appeal. Under the collective bargaining agreement, Brooks and James Thrash — both former players — are the two hearing officers jointly appointed and compensated by the NFL and NFL Players Association to rule on appeals of on-field discipline.

Jackson will miss a home game against Kansas City and a game at Buffalo surrounding the Broncos’ bye week. He will be eligible to return to the team on Nov. 14. Under the initial suspension, he also would have missed games against Minnesota and Cleveland next month.

Jackson will forfeit about $279,000 in salary instead of the $589,000 he would have lost had the four-game suspension been upheld.

Jackson was flagged for unnecessary roughness and ejected for a high hit to backpedaling Green Bay Packers tight end Luke Musgrave in the fourth quarter of Denver’s 19-17 victory last weekend.

His second ejection of the season came just 24 hours after the league announced he had been fined $43,709 for an unflagged hit on Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco in Week 6, his fourth fine for over-the-top tackles this season.

Those fines total $89,670, and Jackson faces another hefty fine for his hit on Musgrave.

Jon Runyan, the NFL’s vice president of football operations, noted Jackson’s multiple offenses for personal fouls for violating player safety-related rules when issuing the original suspension.

Denver was happy with the decision to cut Jackson’s suspension, but some of his teammates contend that the NFL is making an example out of the hard-hitting safety by punishing what was actually a clean hit though it looked much worse on the field.

Coach Sean Payton argued Jackson’s case via Zoom on Tuesday with hearing officer Derrick Brooks, who issued the two-game reduction. Safety Justin Simmons gave a spirited, nearly five-minute defense of his teammate after practice Wednesday.

The bottom line, quarterback Russell Wilson said, is the Broncos (2-5) will miss their hard-hitting safety Sunday when they host the Kansas City Chiefs (6-1), who have won the last 16 games between the AFC West foes.

Jackson will also miss the Broncos’ game at Buffalo following their bye next week before returning to the team on Nov. 14.

“K-Jack has been one of the best players in this league. The guy has played 14 years. He knows how to play the right way,” Wilson said. “It’s unfortunate for our football team because he’s such a leader. And I thought he hit with his shoulder that time and I know the other hits were maybe a little [over the top], but I think that one was a good football hit.

“I’ve seen a lot of good football hits and that was one of them,” Wilson added. “We’re definitely going to miss him.”

Jackson also was ejected from Denver’s loss to Washington in Week 2 after he was flagged for an illegal hit on Commanders tight end Logan Thomas. That came a week after Jackson’s illegal hit on Raiders receiver Jakobi Meyers. Both Thomas and Meyers were concussed on the plays.

Jackson signed a one-year, $2.515 million contract with the Broncos last spring to return for a 14th NFL season. He lost his starting job to Caden Sterns in training camp but returned to the starting lineup when Sterns suffered a knee injury on his second snap in the opener.

Jackson was replaced Sunday by PJ Locke, who sealed Denver’s win with his first career interception in the closing minutes.

Coach Sean Payton said Monday he’s certain Jackson will lower his target zone and stop committing fouls that are injuring opponents and hurting the Broncos (2-5).

“I know he’ll keep working on it,” Payton said. “He’s someone that’s smart and really wants to do the right thing.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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