The NFL has suspended Los Angeles Rams starting left tackle Alaric Jackson for two games without pay after he punched Buffalo Bills linebacker Bradley Chubb following Monday night’s 37-34 overtime loss at SoFi Stadium. Head coach Sean McVay confirmed Tuesday that Jackson intends to appeal the ruling.
The incident unfolded near midfield during the postgame handshakes and jersey exchanges. According to reports, Jackson was swapping jerseys with Bills defensive lineman Deone Walker when Chubb directed words at him and walked away. Jackson followed, exchanged more words, and threw a right-handed punch caught on camera, knocking Chubb’s hat off his head. The league described the blow as an act of unsportsmanlike conduct, citing the rule against actions contrary to the generally understood principles of sportsmanship.
McVay backs the appeal, questions the decision
McVay said the team wants to understand what triggered the confrontation before passing judgment. “Have to make better decisions than that,” McVay said. “I spoke with him. We’ll keep that in-house. … I want to understand the totality of the situation. I’m not condoning by any means, but I want to gather all the information.” With the Rams sitting at 2-3, McVay’s deeper frustration was losing a key starter to an avoidable decision.
Chubb played down the episode afterward. “It’s just emotions, you know what I mean? Emotional game. It was a close game,” he said, adding that the league always catches the second man. Teammates separated the two players immediately after the punch.
What the absence costs the Rams
Jackson is slated to miss the October 18 game against the Arizona Cardinals and the October 25 trip to face the Las Vegas Raiders, becoming eligible to return on October 26. Veteran David Quessenberry, 36, is expected to start at left tackle in his place, protecting Matthew Stafford’s blind side. Quessenberry has played only 128 offensive snaps over the past two seasons and has not started an NFL game since 2023 — a steep drop-off at one of football’s most demanding positions.
This is Jackson’s second NFL suspension: he previously served a two-game ban in 2024 for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. Monday was a busy day for league discipline — San Francisco linebacker Dre Greenlaw was also suspended one game for headbutting Seattle’s Ernest Jones IV — a sign the league is taking a hard line on postgame violence this season.
The Rams are not the only team rewriting the script this week: the Brewers pounded the Reds 20-0 to clinch a playoff berth, and Inter Miami delivered a 4-0 thrashing of DC United.
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Sources: sportsnet.ca, theScore
