EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James Jr., who returned to practice Wednesday after a one-game suspension for repeated playing rule violations, said he had no no intention of changing his style of play and that he was disappointed with the NFL’s decision.
“No, that’s not going to change,” James said. “It’s definitely not going to change anything. Like I said, I’m just going to go lower. I’m not going to change.”
He continued: “I’m going to play my style, but like I said, I’m just going to go lower.”
James said his goal in the future would be to hit players below where they are holding the ball.
“I’m not going to continue paying 700, 800 thousand [dollars]”, said James
The NFL announced the suspension on September 23 after James was reported for unnecessary roughness following a hit on Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth in the third quarter of Los Angeles’ 20-10 loss in the third week.
James’ game relies on physicality and hits that stop defenders in their tracks, but this style has caused him significant problems with the league. It was the seventh time James was flagged for unnecessary roughness in his career, tied with Marshon Lattimore and Jordan Poyer for second in the NFL since 2018 (behind Xavier Woods’ eight).
A former All-Pro, James appealed the suspension, but it was upheld by hearing officer Derrick Brooks, jointly appointed by the NFL and NFLPA.
“They told me about the violation, the rule that I had broken and that was really it,” James said of the hearing. “It wasn’t, you know, [about] how I could get better or what they call.
In a letter to James included in the NFL announcement, vice president of football operations Jon Runyan wrote that the video shows James lowered his head under the blow, making illegal and forced contact with his helmet which could have been avoided.
