While Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn won’t have Terry McLaurin available on offense, the defense will also be without a key player as Quinn takes control of play calls.
The NFL has made its final decision on Daron Payne’s one-game suspension, as confirmed in a post on X by Mike Garafolo. According to the update:
> “Hearing officer Ramon Foster, jointly appointed by the NFL and the NFLPA, has upheld the one-game suspension of Washington’s Daron Payne.”
> — Michael Signora @NFLfootballinfo
Payne received the suspension after punching Detroit Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown during their Sunday game. The Commanders’ defensive tackle had appealed the penalty, but judging from video footage of the incident, it’s difficult to imagine a successful defense. This holds true even though St. Brown reportedly punched Payne first, according to ESPN.
Following the game, Commanders defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw spoke out about the altercation, saying St. Brown had indeed punched Payne.
> “Yeah, for sure, and they [the refs] saw it too,” Kinlaw said. “It’s some bulls-. 100 percent. Daron retaliated. The refs literally saw the first punch. I don’t blame him for the way he reacted. Tempers got to flaring.”
On the other side, St. Brown shared his perspective, stating that he did not deserve to be punched.
> “Two plays before that, we got into a little scuffle, back and forth,” St. Brown said. “Then we end up scoring, and I go up to him. I say a little something, nothing crazy, and then he decides to swing on me.”
This suspension is a significant blow for a defense that has struggled recently. According to CBS Sports, the Dan Quinn-led defense allowed 33 of 35 completions for 492 passing yards and seven touchdowns over a four-quarter span—from the second half of Week 8 against the Kansas City Chiefs through the first half against Seattle last Sunday night.
Things won’t get any easier for Washington this season. The team recently lost starting cornerback Marshon Lattimore for the remainder of the year due to a torn ACL. Now, with Payne suspended, the Commanders will be missing two key defensive players for their upcoming game against the Miami Dolphins in Madrid next Sunday.
The challenge ahead for Dan Quinn’s defense is clear: they must find ways to improve quickly despite these setbacks.
https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/commanders-news-nfl-decision-1-game-suspension-daron-payne
