DETROIT -- I'm just back from visiting both locker rooms after the Green Bay Packers' 27-15 victory over the Detroit Lions. The first thing I want to do is pass along the full and unedited transcript of Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh's comments to reporters.
Suh, as you know by now, was ejected in the third quarter after kicking and pushing the head of Green Bay Packers guard Evan Dietrich-Smith. His essential message is that he believed Dietrich-Smith had him pinned to the ground, and Suh denied any intent to kick or otherwise injure Dietrich-Smith.
I'll withhold comment for the time being and let Suh's explanation and denials speak for themselves.
At least for now.
Ndamukong Suh: I'm first and foremost only going to apologize to my teammates, my coaches and my true fans for allowing the refs to have an opportunity to take me out of this game. What I did was remove myself from the situation in the best way I felt, me being held down in the situation I was in. And further, my intentions were not to kick anybody, as I did not, removing myself as you see, I'm walking away from the situation and with that I apologize to my teammates and my fans and my coaches for putting myself in the position to be misinterpreted and taken out of the game.
What position were you in?
NS: The situation I was in? I was on top of a guy being pulled down and trying to get up off the ground. Why you see me pushing his helmet down [is] because I'm trying to remove myself from the situation. And as I'm getting up, I'm getting pushed, so I'm getting myself on balance and getting out of the situation. With that, a lot of people are going to interpret it as, or create their own storylines for seeing what they want to interpret, but I know what I did, and the man upstairs knows what I did.
You did not intentionally step on him?
NS: Not by any means. I understand in this world because of the type of player and the type of person I am, all eyes are on me. So why would I do something to jeopardize myself and jeopardize my team first and foremost? So with that, that's why, I don't do bad things. I have no intention to hurt somebody. If I want to hurt him, I'm going to hit his quarterback, as I did throughout that game.
What was the leg motion?
NS: What was the leg motion? I'm on one leg and I'm trying to get off that myself and at the same time being pushed by his teammates. So where, how am I supposed to do anything else?
It looked like you pushed down forcefully.
NS: I'm pushing down forcefully to get up and get myself out of the situation.
Have you seen the replay?
NS: Yes, I have seen it.
What do you see on replay? Do you see a guy getting up or a guy stepping on another guy?
NS: If I see a guy stepping on somebody, I feel like they're going to lean into it and forcefully stand over the person or step on that person. I'm going in the opposite direction from where he's at. So that's where I'll leave it.
It also appeared you pushed his helmet multiple times.
NS: Yes, I did push his helmet multiple times because he's holding on to me and he's grabbing me. That's the reason why I'm on the top of him and I'm not at the quarterback. Because I'm being held down by him and so I'm pushing him off of me.
Was it a chippy or edgy game?
NS: The chippiness, edginess, I don't know. For me personally, I'm composed as I go into every single game. That's why you don't see me rah, rah, rah, running around, being loud because that's not my style. I don't play that. I play very composed and I can handle anything that you throw at me as I continue to do.
How will this affect your reputation?
NS: Like I said, you guys are going to create your own storylines. People are going to have their own opinions. That's fine. The only person that I really care about are my teammates and my true fans and my coaches and their opinions, and that's where it lies. Honestly the most important person in this whole thing that I have to deal with is the man upstairs.
Do you expect NFL discipline?
NS: That's their decision. I can't speak on that.