ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Denver Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib was hit with a one-game suspension from the NFL on Monday after poking Indianapolis Colts tight end Dwayne Allen in the eye in the waning moments of a 27-24 loss on Sunday.
Talib said he will appeal the decision.
According to a team statement, NFL Vice President Merton Hanks made the ruling after reviewing the incident. Hanks ruled “Talib’s action placed his opponent at unnecessary risk of injury and should have been avoided.”
The team statement indicated Derrick Brooks or James Thrash, both former players jointly hired by the NFL and the NFL Players Association, will hear Talib’s appeal.
“I deserve discipline,” Talib said. “It was not intentional. I should have never went over there in the first place. (Coach Gary Kubiak) told me I’ve got to be smarter than that. My emotions got the best of me.
“I was a little heated. That’s what I regret.”
In the locker room after the loss, it seemed apparent Talib was upset as he said his hand “slipped” and hit Allen “in his face,” and that he was disappointed Allen “acted like he got into an 18-passenger car wreck.”
“I guess that’s what type of guy (Allen) is,” Talib said.
Seeming to calm down as he continued speaking after the game, Talib said his reaction was mostly of the knee-jerk variety and came from a place of frustration.
“You guys ever play football? You all ever lost at the end of the game?” Talib asked. “Well you can remember back to how that feels. That’s how it felt. I was just mad.”
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Speaking Monday, Kubiak said Talib was “wrong” to get involved in the situation, a scuffle that initially involved Broncos defense end Von Miller and Allen, but that he was “convinced” Talib didn’t intentionally poke Allen in the eye.
The incident led to a personal foul penalty on the Broncos defense with 2:24 to play and gave the Colts a first down. It ultimately prevented Peyton Manning from getting a chance to lead a comeback and to set the record for most passing yards in NFL history.
Manning finished 3 yards short of breaking Brett Favre’s record in his second loss in Indianapolis since the team dropped him three years ago.
The Colts were able to run out the clock after Manning’s second interception with six minutes to play in the game.