Jets S Smith loses appeal on suspension and fine

Oct 8, 2008 - 11:52 PM FLORHAM PARK, New Jersey (Ticker) -- New York Jets safety Eric Smith will miss Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals after the NFL denied the appeal of his one-game suspension and $50,000 fine for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Arizona Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin.

Smith was disciplined for a gruesome hit on Boldin, who was in a defenseless position when contact was made in the fourth quarter of the Jets' 56-35 victory on September 28. The injury occurred with 27 seconds remaining in the contest.

New York had a bye last week, but Smith will take another week off after the league stood firm on his punishment.

"His suspension was upheld, the suspension and fine was upheld," Jets coach Eric Mangini said. "He will be out this week. We had plans in place and things that we worked on from when we first learned about that, so we'll just proceed along that path.

"We have David Barrett, we have Hank (Poteat) and you have Abe (Abram Elam). Any of those three guys could be there or Dwight Lowery."

Boldin underwent surgery last Thursday to repair a sinus fracture. The injury forced him to miss the team's game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

On September 17, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell released a statement saying that hits endangering the safety of players no longer would be tolerated.

"Any conduct that unnecessarily risks the safety of other players has no role in the game of football and will be disciplined at increased levels, including first offenses," Goodell said.