The LA Chargers faced the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 4 without Derwin James, who was suspended for a hit on Pat Freiermuth that earned an unnecessary roughness penalty in Week 3. Despite Freiermuth defending the hit during the appeal, the NFL upheld the suspension, seemingly intent on making an example of James. He’s set to return in Week 6 against the Denver Broncos.
James, unfazed by the punishment, expressed his intent to maintain his aggressive style of play, saying the suspension wouldn’t change anything about how he performs on the field. He added, “I’m just going to go lower. I’m not going to change.” Frustratingly, James pointed out that the league offered no guidance during the appeal on how he could avoid future penalties, despite his desire to stop losing large sums of money due to fines.
Since entering the NFL in 2018, James has been flagged seven times for unnecessary roughness, tied for the second-most in the league. Chargers fans are upset, not with James but with the way he’s been officiated in recent years. Hits that were considered clean 20 years ago are now penalized in the current era of the NFL, and James has struggled to adapt. While some believe James is being unfairly targeted, his continued penalties suggest that a shift in approach is needed.
James has vowed to adjust his tackles by going lower, but only time will tell if that will be enough to avoid further scrutiny and penalties from the league.