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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Steelers’ JuJu Smith-Schuster, Bengals’ George Iloka each banned 1 game

Cincinnati Bengals outside linebacker Vontaze Burfict gestures as he is carted off the field after an apparent injury in the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Monday, Dec. 4, 2017, in Cincinnati. (Frank Victores / Associated Press)
Associated Press

NEW YORK – Pittsburgh Steelers rookie wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and Cincinnati Bengals cornerback George Iloka have been suspended one game each by the NFL for violating league safety rules.

Smith-Schuster was flagged for unnecessary roughness and taunting after a blindside hit on Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict in the fourth quarter of Pittsburgh’s 23-20 victory Monday night. Iloka was penalized for unnecessary roughness for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown.

Jon Runyan, the NFL’s vice president of football operations, ruled that Smith-Schuster “delivered a violent and unnecessary blindside shot to (Burfict’s) head and neck area.” Burfict left the game on a stretcher and did not return.

Runyan suspended Iloka for striking a defenseless receiver in the head and neck area. Brown, who caught the game-tying pass on the play, remained in the game.