Rashard Mendenhall Suspension Will Cost Him $41K; Won't Play in Dallas Cowboys Game
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall is facing suspension for one week for "conduct detrimental to the team," which means he won't be playing in the Steelers game against the Dallas Cowboys this Sunday.
Mendenhall was suspended because he did show up on Heinz Field on Sunday after he was informed by the Steelers that he would not dress.
Mendenhall's suspension will lose him about an estimated $41,176 in salary, a seventeenth of his full pay. He earns $700,000 with the Steelers. After this season, Mendenhall will be a free unregistered agent.
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It is expected that Mendenhall may be inactive for the rest of 2012. Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said he had no plans to make a change as Pittsburgh heads into the final three weeks of the season.
The Steelers' leading rusher has not been dressing for the past two games, demoted to third string after disappointing performances. He fumbled twice in the game against Cleveland. Mendenhall has also suffered several injuries, tearing the ACL in his right knee then recently injuring his Achilles' heel.
Mendenhall's agent Mike McCartney said he will serve his suspension and then come back on Monday.
Rashard Mendenhall's suspension has led the Steelers to sign halfback Baron Batch to replace him this week.
He was was drafted by the Steelers 23rd overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Campaign.
The Steelers (7-6) will play the Dallas Cowboys on Dec. 16 and currently hold the sixth and final playoff spot in the AFC.
