We already knew Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh has a tendency to throw cheap shots during games. Over the weekend, word surfaced that he does the same to his own teammates during practice and that the Lions are becoming frustrated with him. Detroit center Dominic Raiola insists that report from FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer simply isn’t true.
“Well, tell me the guys (who said it),” Raiola said Tuesday, via Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press. “Those guys can be addressed because I’ve never seen it. I’ve been here with him since he was a rookie, since his first day on the practice field. And he practices hard like a professional, like how a pro should practice.”
To help make his point, Raiola pointed to the fact that Suh is a team captain.
“And I see no problem with the way he practices,” he continued. “I don’t think he’d be our captain right now if all that being said is true. I don’t think there’s one ounce of truth to that at all. It’s evident on Sunday the way he plays. He produces on Sunday and he makes a big difference.”
[Video: Ndamukong Suh kicks Matt Schaub in the groin]
For what it’s worth, Raiola has been known to rip his own teammates in the past. The Lions would be wise to avoid turning into the New York Jets of 2013. Last season, another anonymous teammate supposedly ripped Suh for costing the team by losing his cool. If reporters are making things up (and we don’t think they are), there’s little the Lions can do about it. If anonymous players really are bashing their teammates, they should probably knock it off.
