The LA Chargers had an amazing start to the season until they visited the Steelers at the Acrisure Stadium. Not only did they get beaten by Justin Fields, but the game also forced another setback on the LA team. Well, what’s that? Derwin James Jr. will be missing a very crucial game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

The NFL has suspended the LA Chargers’ safety for repeatedly violating the “playing rules.” However, the straw that broke the camel’s back came when James Jr. hit Pat Freiermuth. But this isn’t the first time he’s been penalized for breaking the safety protocols. More on that later. Right now, let’s look at what the NFL is doing to counteract the violation.

The play happened in the third quarter of the Steelers-Chargers game when Derwin James Jr. lowered “his head and makes forcible contract with his helmet against an opponent.” Per the NFL’s online press release, the Chargers safety is being suspended for violating Rule 10, Section 2, Article 10 (a).

“During the third quarter of the Sunday’s Chargers-Steelers game you were involved in a play that the league considers a serious violation of the playing rules. The video of the play shows that you lowered your head and made forcible contact to Steelers tight end, Pat Freiermuth. You had an unobstructed path to your opponent and the illegal contact could have been avoided,” were the words of Jon Runyan in the NFL’s press release.

The NFL’s VP of Football Operations, Runyan, who issued the suspension, also added, “Your continued disregard for NFL playing rules will not be tolerated. Substantial penalties are warranted when players violate the rules intended to protect player safety on a repeated basis, particularly when the violations carry with them a significant risk of injury to an opposing player.”

So, when is the suspension ending? The Chargers have put him on a “RESERVE-SUS” list and he’ll be eligible to return to the active roster on 30 September, just a day after the game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Most importantly, the safety will remain unpaid for the Chiefs game.

The press release pointed out the repeated violations that Derwin James Jr. committed, and football analysts were quick to point to the past infractions by the Charger’s safety.

Derwin James Jr. is used to roughing up the players

Adam Schefter of ESPN pointed out the obvious and relayed the same news on his X handle. However, Jay Morrison, a Bengals beat writer, added more to Schefter’s statement. His reply to the ESPN journalist said, “James was fined twice last year and once in 2022 for hits on defenseless players. Also had an unnecessary roughness fine in 2018.”

But something about Morrison’s reply suggested that Derwin James Jr. got away with just a slap on the wrist. He was fined for hitting Freiermuth, sure, but there was a “facemask penalty earlier in the game” that could have added more to the infractions. Apparently, James Jr. has been charged with 7 unnecessary roughness penalties in his career and he’s “tied with Marshon Lattimore and Jordan Poyer for second most in the NFL since 2018 (trailing Xavier Woods’ eight).”

What’s Derwin James Jr.’s reaction to all of this? Well, he’s stopped asking the referees where he went wrong. After the game, he iterated: “I’ll look at the film and see if they sent me a fine or whatever it is. I’m trying to get the guy to the ground. I don’t feel like I hit him in the head or neck, but we’ll look at it.”

The game against the Kansas City Chiefs is too important for him to miss out. If anything, Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers need veteran safeties to put a stop to Patrick Mahomes and his offense. Justin Herbert and Joey Bosa are listed as questionable for now and the game against the Chiefs is just a few days away.

Do you think Derwin James Jr.’s suspension was warranted? Let us know below. While you’re at it, check out our latest Think Tank exclusive interview with Doug Sanders. It’s packed with insights on the current NFL season, college football, NIL, and much more.