Broncos defender suspended for hit on Vikings QB Josh Dobbs in Week 11

Safety Kareem Jackson has been suspended by the NFL for his helmet-to-helmet hit on Minnesota Vikings quarterback Josh Dobbs in Week 11.

Social media exploded with criticism of the officiating on Sunday Night Football when a Denver Broncos defender connected on a helmet-to-helmet hit on Minnesota Vikings quarterback Josh Dobbs with no penalty called.

After reviewing the hit and his history with similar plays, the NFL made the decision to suspend safety Kareem Jackson for four games without pay as shared in a press release from the league on Monday evening.

Here is the press release as shared by Star Tribune beat reporter Ben Goessling on x (formerly Twitter) detailing the league's action:

The hit caused Josh Dobbs to need to head to the sideline and be observed in the medical tent. Although he was able to return to the game, there is no doubt that it was a significant and unnecessary hit by Jackson.

What does this mean for the Minnesota Vikings?

Although it's nice to have some justification for the hit, the suspension with no pay doesn't do much for the Vikings. There will always be a bit of a question about whether or not the hit in the first quarter had any impact on Dobbs' play for the remainder of the game, but a huge missed call like that can leave a bad taste in the mouth of an organization and its fans.

Kareem Jackson was a first-round draft pick of the Houston Texans out of Alabama in 2010 and has developed a bit of a reputation for hits like the one delivered to Josh Dobbs on Sunday Night Football in Week 11.

It's nice to see the NFL take action against Jackson for this hit, but it is a call that should have been made on the field with a possible ejection. Hopefully, the Minnesota Vikings won't have to deal with any more of these letters from the league this season.