Raiders Marshawn Lynch suspended one game for contact with an official

The verdict has come down and the NFL is suspending Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch for one game without pay. Lynch was ejected from Thursday night’s game against the Chiefs for making contact with an official.

Lynch had come off the sideline to break up a scuffle involving his friend and fellow Oakland native, Marcus Peters. And official grabbed him and in response he appeared to inadvertently grab him back as if he thought it was another player who had grabbed him. Or one would hope that was his thinking.

In the official statement from NFL Vice President of Football Operations Jon Runyan, he seems to disagree that the contact was inadvertent.

“You made deliberate physical contact with one of our game officials as he was diffusing an active confrontation between players. You were disqualified for your inappropriate and unsportsmanlike actions. Your conduct included pushing the game official and grabbing his jersey... You were not directly involved in the active confrontation that he game official was attempting to diffuse, nor were you a participant in the play that initiated the confrontation. You wer ethe only player fro either team who ran from the sideline to midfield to insert himself into a situation in which he was not directly involved.”Lynch will be appealing his suspension, but should the ruling stand, he will not be available when the team travels to Buffalo next week.”

The ejection came with just over six minutes left in the second quarter. He had seen 10 snaps and carried the ball twice for nine yards.

Lynch is expected to appeal. Should the suspension hold up, he will not be available next week when the team travels to Buffalo to face the Bills.

No punishment is currently expected for him donning street clothes and taking to the stands to watch the remainder of the game.