Seahawks Coach Defends Suspended Player Hall

Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald publicly defended outside linebacker Derick Hall following his one-game suspension for an incident during a recent game. Macdonald expressed disagreement with the NFL's decision, emphasizing Hall's strong character and positive contributions as a teammate and player, and stating he refuses to believe there was ill intent behind the action. The league suspended Hall for unnecessary roughness and unsportsmanlike conduct after he stepped on the leg of Rams guard Kevin Dotson, who was injured on the play.

Hall's version of the incident, as relayed by Macdonald, is that he attempted to step over Dotson to avoid injury and that his heel, not his toes, made contact. Seahawks defensive tackle Leonard Williams echoed this sentiment, stating Hall is not a dirty player and likely did not intentionally try to harm Dotson. The suspension means Hall will miss the Seahawks' Week 17 matchup against the Carolina Panthers and forfeit a significant portion of his game check.

This suspension comes as the Seahawks are in a tight race for the NFC West lead. The team also faces potential defensive absences due to injuries to safety Coby Bryant and cornerback Riq Woolen. Despite these challenges, the Seahawks aim to maintain their playoff seeding as the regular season concludes.