Denver Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib and Oakland Raiders wide receiver Michael Crabtree each had their two-game suspensions reduced to one game, two days after they were ejected for fighting, the league announced.
Both players had their appeals heard Tuesday. James Thrash was the appeals officer for Talib, and Derrick Brooks was the appeals officer for Crabtree.
Denver president and general manager John Elway and head coach Vance Joseph took part in the appeal hearing for Talib.
“From our point of view, we thought Crabtree was the aggressor,” Elway said on Orange & Blue 760. “He was the one that started it. Obviously it’s not something we want in the game, and I understand it from the league’s perspective that they don’t want it in the league, but I just thought that for Aqib and for our team, I thought [he] did a pretty good job of handling the situation that really could have gotten way out of control. Even though it was a little bit out of control, it could have been a lot worse with the way things went about and Crabtree’s mentality.”
In his letter to Talib on Monday, NFL vice president of operations Jon Runyan referenced Talib ripping a chain off Crabtree’s neck, “aggressively” removing Crabtree’s helmet and throwing a punch, as well as the two players “reigniting” the fight for a second confrontation. Runyan added “such actions have no place in this game, engender ill will between teams, and lead to further confrontations.”
In his letter to Crabtree, Runyan cited the wide receiver for punching Broncos cornerback Chris Harris Jr. in the stomach on the play that preceded the fight with Talib and said Crabtree’s actions with Talib “triggered a melee and endangered various sideline and League personnel, including one of the Game Officials who was injured trying to maintain control of the situation.”
On a second-and-6 play from the Raiders 24-yard line on Oakland’s second possession of the game, Crabtree blocked Talib during a 5-yard run by Marshawn Lynch. Crabtree kept pushing Talib out of bounds near the Broncos’ bench area.
Talib and Crabtree then exchanged shoves before they threw punches at each other. Talib said Monday that Crabtree threw a punch at him first. As he did in a game last season, Talib had ripped a necklace off Crabtree before the fight.
Because of the previous incident, Crabtree had taped the chain to his body before the game, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. And Talib still got it.
Several other players from both teams joined in along the Broncos’ sideline. Talib eventually got ahold of Crabtree’s helmet, pulling it out of a crowd, and he tossed it toward the stands.
Talib, Crabtree and Raiders guard Gabe Jackson were ejected with 11 minutes, 47 seconds left in the first quarter. Talib and Crabtree were ejected for fighting, and Jackson was ejected for making contact with an official.
Earlier Monday, Joseph called Talib’s actions “unacceptable,” while Talib has said he hopes the NFL would consider “how it started” before handing down any potential discipline.
Joseph said he addressed the incident at Monday’s team meeting.
“It’s unacceptable; we can’t do it,” Joseph said.
Raiders coach Jack Del Rio, in a tweet Monday, said it was “hard to understand” the NFL’s initial two-game suspension.
