Suh fined $30K, says kick was accidental

ALLEN PARK, Mich. — Two days after avoiding suspension, Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh was fined $30,000 by the NFL for the kicking incident that occurred Thanksgiving Day against the Houston Texans.

The Lions' 2010 first-round pick claims he didn’t even know he kicked Houston quarterback Matt Schaub in the groin until after last week’s game when he started reading messages about the incident on Twitter.

Suh met with the media Wednesday for the first time since the Thanksgiving Day controversy.

“It’s a crazy play,” Suh said. “It’s one that unfortunately happened. I didn’t even realize until the end of the game and (on) my Twitter feed, I see my friends telling me about it.

“You can’t do much more about it. I was being dragged to the ground (by an offensive lineman) and my foot inadvertently hit the man. It’s over with. I’m moving forward.”

Asked if he felt he should apologize to Schaub even if the kick was unintentional, Suh said, “I was dragged to the ground. A lot of things happen to me. It’s part of the game.”

While there was an outcry that Suh should get suspended, the NFL announced Monday there would be none.

Suh said he never talked to any league officials about the matter, but he added that he has heard of a possible fine. The NFL announces fines every Friday.

On Tuesday, Suh sent out the following tweet, which quickly became a topic of discussion: “IF YOU HAVE A LIFE YOU DON’T HAVE TIME TO HATE!!! – MS.”

Some people automatically assumed that “MS” stood for Matt Schaub.

Asked if that was accurate, Suh said, “No. That’s actually Michael Strahan.”

Suh apparently has a good relationship with Strahan, a former NFL player. They both appear in Subway commercials.

Strahan’s Twitter profile includes the same message that Suh had tweeted out with Strahan’s initials at the end.

During Wednesday’s six-minute interview, Suh addressed several other topics:

• On the perception that he’s a dirty player even though he’s been called for only one penalty, an off-sides, in 11 games this season: ”I think I’m always going to be punished (in) some form or fashion for last Thanksgiving (when he was ejected and suspended for two games for stomping on the arm of a Green Bay player). I apologize for it. I’m going to continue to apologize for it. It’s something that happened, a mistake that I made.

“Some people may not (get past that incident). Some people will. Some people will teeter-totter back and forth between it depending on whatever the situation is or whatever may happen. I’m just going to continue to play and try to help my team win.”

• On Schaub saying that he’d never want Suh as a teammate because of his actions on the field: “That’s his opinion. I guess the person who would make that decision would be the GM or the coach of that team. I’m happy exactly where I’m at. I don’t think they have any opportunity to even have me there with the Texans.”

• On playing in Detroit: “My comfort level’s very nice here. I have a home here that I recently purchased, (late) last year. I don’t think anybody who’s buying a home somewhere doesn’t feel comfortable there. Great teammates, Matt (Stafford), Calvin (Johnson), all these other guys I’m playing with.”

• On receiving a ticket for driving carelessly earlier this month: “In that particular instance, I believe the chief of Lathrup said it the best (Lathrup Village police chief William Armstrong admitted to Detroit's FOX television affiliate that his officer can be overly aggressive in writing tickets). I’m going to leave it at that.”