After delivering a Week 4 hit on Indianapolis Colts tight end Jack Doyle that officials determined had malicious, helmet to helmet intentional contact, Burfict was not only kicked out of the game, but suspended for the rest of the season.
We have seen hits like the one Burfict inflicted before, but it was the name behind the hit that called for a 12-game suspension. According to Mike Florio of NBC Sports, suspending Burfict for the rest of the season was exactly what the league desired.
Burfict's history played a crucial part in delivering the harshest punishment for an on-field hit in NFL history. We have very likely seen the last of the 2013 Pro Bowler, being that if a team does decide to take a chance next season, another illegal hit could land him back in his current situation.
A single hit that is deemed illegal, no matter how innocent it might seem, will land Burfict another season-long suspension. For a player that is at his best when playing a physical style of football while also competing in a league that seems to want him as far away from their brand as possible, Burfict's comeback will be nearly impossible.
The league is clearly trying to exterminate Burfict's style of play and the quickest way to do that is to get rid of the one player more synonymous with big and illegal hits than anyone else in the league.
Although being backed by his teammates, it is unlikely that Raiders management, or anyone else for that matter, will take another look at Burfict. The man is simply not worth the risk in a league that wants him gone.
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