Alaric Jackson Suspended 2 Games for Punching Bradley Chubb

The NFL handed Los Angeles Rams left tackle Alaric Jackson a two-game suspension Tuesday after he punched Buffalo Bills edge rusher Bradley Chubb in the face during postgame handshakes at SoFi Stadium.

Jackson will miss Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals and the following week’s matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders unless his appeal succeeds. The punishment removes one of the Rams’ most reliable pass protectors from an offensive line already navigating injuries early in the season.

The altercation unfolded at midfield moments after the Bills secured an overtime victory on Monday night. Video reviewed by the league showed Jackson exchanging jerseys with Buffalo defensive lineman Deone Walker when Chubb walked past and directed comments toward the Rams tackle. Chubb turned away, but Jackson pursued him across the field and delivered a punch that knocked the hat off Chubb’s head before teammates and security personnel intervened.

Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady, who has been handling head coaching duties for Buffalo this season, told reporters Wednesday that the organization is still collecting information about the postgame sequence. Brady indicated no further public comment would come until the team completes its internal review of what transpired after the final whistle.

Under the NFL’s personal conduct policy, postgame violence carries mandatory discipline regardless of whether criminal charges are filed. Two-game suspensions for on-field or immediately adjacent altercations have become the league’s standard baseline since Commissioner Roger Goodell tightened enforcement protocols following several high-profile incidents over the past decade. Players can appeal through the jointly appointed appeals officer under the current collective bargaining agreement, though reversals for clearly documented physical strikes remain rare.

Losing Jackson forces the Rams to reshuffle their protection schemes ahead of divisional play. The 6-foot-5 tackle started all 17 games last season and has anchored Matthew Stafford’s blind side since arriving as an undrafted free agent. Veteran backup Rob Havenstein or interior linemen shifting outside could fill the vacancy, but neither option matches Jackson’s combination of size and mobility against elite edge rushers in the NFC West.

For Buffalo, the incident arrived as a footnote to a win that pushed the team to 4-1. Chubb, who signed with the Bills in free agency after spending his first six NFL seasons with the Miami Dolphins and Denver Broncos, did not require medical attention for the blow. His integration into Buffalo’s defensive rotation has accelerated over the past month, providing a critical complement to the team’s primary pass-rushing packages.

The Bills open their Week 7 preparations facing a 3-2 Raiders squad that presents a contrasting schematic challenge compared to the Rams’ spread-heavy attack.