According to the Charlotte Observer, Carolina Panthers’ head coach John Fox has suspended wide receiver Steve Smith for the first two games of the season after punching teammate Ken Lucas in a recent practice. Smith broke Lucas’s nose.
“What he did was wrong,” Fox said of Smith. “We take it very serious. He’s being punished severely. … It’s an act that’s inexcusable and it can’t happen.”
“The suspension includes regular season games,” said Fox. “Those are the ones they get paid in. That’s the way we’ll operate and that’s the way the landscape is.”
Lucas was later taken to a tent and an ice pack was placed on the left side of his face and left eye. Smith walked over, accompanied by Muhsin Muhammad, to apologize, but the damage was done.
“He knows he made a mistake,” said Fox. “Yet, he has to pay for it.”
Great move by Fox. Even though Smith is the Panthers offense, Fox had to send a message that no player is bigger than the team. Plus, this is the third such incident Smith has been involved in and his behavior seems to be out of line. Scuffles happen, but essentially sucker punching a teammate when he was on a knee is out of line.
