After two game ban, Brandon Meriweather returns to Redskins Park

Redskins safety Brandon Meriweather returned to Redskins Park on Monday after serving a two-game suspension for a helmet to helmet hit.

The suspension was the second in two years for Meriweather, who took responsibility for the illegal blow and said he’ll continue to work on giving the “NFL what they want” when it comes to hits.

“Very, very hard,” Meriweather said, asked how hard it was to sit out the Redskins’ first two games. “Especially seeing them guys out there that I went to war with all of camp, to see them out there without me, it was heartbreaking. I’m just happy to be back. It’s a blessing to just to be in this locker room again.”

It’s unclear if Meriweather will immediately return but given the team’s inconsistent play at safety while he was suspended--his replacement, Bacarri Rambo, saw his playing time cut significantly on Sunday--it would seem likely that he’ll line up next to fellow safety Ryan Clark when the Redskins visit the Eagles on Sunday.

And, assuming that he does, Meriweather says he’ll continue to try to lower his target.

“I think I changed,” he said. “I just have to do it a little more. I can’t give it a chance where it could be even close. I have to go even lower.”

Meriweather added: “Don’t make no excuses. Give the NFL what they want and do my job.”

Meriweather also seemed to realize that after two bans and numerous fines for high hits, he could be running out of chances.

“I have no choice but to consciously tell myself to do it now,” he said of avoiding helmet-to-helmet strikes. “It’s nothing I’m willing to chance. I’m not trying to get kicked out of the league just to hit somebody hard. It’s something I have to do.”

The ninth-year pro was suspended for a hit on the Ravens’ Torrey Smith in the third preseason game.


(csnwashington.com)