Buffalo Bills lineman Bobby Hart suspended one game for trying to punch Tennessee Titans player
Buffalo Bills backup offensive lineman Bobby Hart has been suspended one game by the NFL for an incident that took place following the team’s 41-7 victory over the Tennessee Titans on Monday night.
A press release issued by the league said Hart was being punished for violating the unsportsmanlike conduct rules when he took a swing at a Titans player and inadvertently struck a Titans assistant coach as the teams were leaving the field after the game.
Hart played briefly for the Titans in 2021 after he had been cut by the Bills.
Jon Runyan, the former offensive lineman who is now the NFL’s vice-president of football operations, said in a letter to Hart, “As both teams were heading to the runnel, you walked directly across the field to seek out your opponent. You approached him bear the end zone and a coach had to hold you back as others shook hands.
“Once you and your opponent were in the end zone near the tunnel, you confronted him and immediately swung at him with a closed fist, striking the head of a Tennessee coach. Your aggressive conduct could have caused serious injury and clearly does not reflect the high standards of sportsmanship expected of a professional.”
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Hart, under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, may appeal the suspension. If he does not, he will miss Sunday’s showdown against the Dolphins in Miami, and that would mean the Bills would have to call up someone from the practice squad to take his place.
The Bills have veteran guard/center Greg Mancz, and rookie tackles Alec Anderson and Ryan Van Demark on their practice squad.
Hart, who had a strong 2022 training camp to make the Bills' roster, has made brief appearances (19 total snaps) in both games this season, several times lining up as an eligible receiver.
Follow Sal Maiorana on Twitter @salmaiorana.