General News
| On 7 years ago

Sources: Vikings Safety Andrew Sendejo Suspended One Game For Hit On Ravens WR Mike Wallace

By Sean Borman

Image courtesy of Vikings.com

Minnesota Vikings safety Andrew Sendejo suspended for one game for violating player safety rules.

The Fumble That Wasn’t

During Sunday’s game against the Ravens, Vikings safety Andrew Sendejo leveled Baltimore wide receiver Mike Wallace as he ran across the middle of the field. The hit by Sendejo, teamed with a swipe at the ball by Xavier Rhodes resulted in a fumble by Wallace, which the Vikings recovered.

However, the referees deemed the hit illegal (unnecessary roughness) and the result of the play was a Baltimore first down. The penalty apparently negated the turnover. Today, the league took the controversial ruling a step further. One day after Sendejo laid the big hit on Wallace, the league released this statement:

VT’s Jordan Reid’s Twitter feed has video of the play.

When asked about his thoughts on the play and call, Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer responded, “I think the receiver took five steps… [Sendejo] hit him with a glancing blow.” Zimmer also said during today’s press conference he will send tape of the play to the league office.

According to Ian Rappaport, Sendejo will appeal his suspension. Should Sendejo lose his appeal it would be the second of three games the safety has missed. Anthony Harris started in place of Sendejo when he missed the Week 6 game against Green Bay with a groin injury. The Vikings face the Cleveland Browns in London on Sunday.

Sean Borman

Sean Borman is a writer with Minnesota roots that's a Vikings optimist. He was an intern with the Vikings during college and is an IT nerd by day. You can find him on the golf course during summer and on Twitter @SeanBormanNFL.

Tags: andrew sendejo Anthony Harris mike wallace Mike Zimmer xavier rhodes

View Comments

  • It makes me sick that the NFL won't let good defenses play. This is a cowardly, and reactionary suspension. It was a clean hit, on a bang-bang play, and this is absurd. Is this a retaliation for the Rodgers hit (which was clean)? Also the Treadwell block vs GB was clean, and that one had me fuming. The NFL is doing their best to ruin the game, but at least for now OLD SCHOOL FOOTBALL is back, and its in Minnesota! Lets keep it rollin' in London! SKOL

  • When I saw it I thought it was a good hit, but I knew a flag was likely to follow. The replay looks like he's going for the ball. In no way do I think it warrants a suspension.

  • It was a completely BS call in the first place. Wallace is not a defenseless receiver on the play, he's a runner at the point he is hit. The helmet contact is a result of a football play, not unneccesary targeting by the defender. The league should be apologizing to the Vikings for flipping a turnover back to the Ravens a few plays after they blew a PI call that resulted in an interception. To suspend him for this hit is absurd. Meanwhile, Burfict kicked a player in the helmet while he was on the ground and the league isn't planning to suspend him despite his lengthy track record of being a complete piece of crap. I'm all for making things safer and Sendejo is pretty reckless at times, but this was not a cheap shot that warrants a suspension.

  • Sorry, all, but I agree with the penalty and the suspension. Sendejo does not launch himself into Wallace, true; instead, he settles into a stance waiting for Wallace to come to him, cocks his right shoulder at the last second and then snaps his right shoulder into Wallace's helmet. Not into the ball, not into Wallace's arms, chest or shoulder, but right into the left side of Wallace's facemask. It wasn't necessary, with Rhodes dragging on Wallace, and Sendejo could have instead wrapped up Wallace or aimed towards Wallace's center of mass instead of his head. The refs and the league are not perfect, Lord knows, but the Barr non-call was a legit non-call and this was a legit call.