The Los Angeles Rams have seen justice served following their loss to the Seattle Seahawks on “Thursday Night Football” in Week 16, but not without experiencing a tremendous loss in the process, specifically with Kevin Dotson.
That is in addition to the loss, which cost them the top spot in the NFC and the NFC West.
The Rams are already reeling. They lost despite boasting a 16-point lead in the fourth quarter. The news on Dotson is hardly worth what caused it and led to the NFL taking action.
NFL Suspends Seahawks’ Derick Hall Over Incident With Rams’ Kevin Dotson
Rio Giancarlo/GettyDerick Hall #58 of the Seattle Seahawks reacts during a game against the Los Angeles Rams.
“Seattle Seahawks linebacker Derick Hall has been suspended without pay for one game for an act of unnecessary roughness and unsportsmanlike conduct during Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams,” the league said in a statement, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo on December 19.
“During the first quarter, Hall unnecessarily stepped on the leg of Rams guard Kevin Dotson at the end of a play while he was on the ground, violating Rule 12, Section 2, Article 8, which prohibits unnecessary roughness and Rule 12, Section 3, Article 1, which applies to unsportsmanlike conduct, including ‘any act which is contrary to the generally understood principles of sportsmanship.”
Hall, who will be eligible to return to play in Week 17, can appeal the decision and will, amid the potential argument that he attempted to avoid Dotson.
There was no flag thrown on the play, but the Rams ultimately felt the impact of the game.
The Rams emerged with several questions about calls made during their eventual loss to the Seahawks, including a 2-point conversion that tied the game up, allowing Seattle to send it to overtime and notch a big victory in primetime.
Dotson’s status in the aftermath complicates what comes next for a Rams team looking to bounce back from a disappointing defeat.
He has missed at least two games in every season with the franchise.
Kevin Dotson to Miss Time With Ankle Injury
GettyKevin Dotson #69 of the Los Angeles Rams is helped off the field during a game against the Seattle Seahawks.
Dotson is in his third season with the Rams. Dotson was a fourth-round pick (No. 135 overall) of the 2020 draft. He signed with the Rams in free agency in 2023 from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Unfortunately for the Rams, he was injured on the play involving Hall and did not return.
Rams head coach Sean McVay said Hall’s action did not cause Dotson’s injury. McVay also said the actions did not belong in the game, per TheRams.com’s Stu Jackson on December 19.
The Rams are already without starting right tackle Rob Havenstein.
They replaced Havenstein with Warren McClendon, with little to no drop off. The Rams have several internal options to replace Dotson and figure to turn to one of them. That would allow for a smoother transition with more reliable results than picking up a free agent at this stage.
Havenstein is also eligible to return from injured reserve at any time. He has missed the requisite four games due to various ailments, as per McVay.
McVay said early in Week 16, when Havenstein was first eligible, that that would not happen.
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