Cardinals' Bruce Arians: NFL should suspend players who cause injuries

Arizona Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said Monday that the NFL should adopt a rule whereby offending players should be subjected to suspensions commensurate with

Arizona Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said Monday that the NFL should adopt a rule whereby offending players should be subjected to suspensions commensurate with the length of time missed by injured players.

Arians' proposal comes after the NFL confirmed that the chop block executed by Denver Broncos tight end Julius Thomas on Arizona Cardinals tight end Calais Campell on Sunday was illegal. 

The block happened on a 77-yard touchdown catch by Demaryius Thomas in the third quarter of the Broncos' 41-20 win in Denver. Thomas was flagged for a 15-yard penalty on the play, which negated the score. Campbell is expected to miss three-to-four weeks with a sprained mcl.

• NFL Week 5 Coverage Hub

Arians said Sunday that he thought the block, which could result in Campbell being fined, was the "dirtiest play I've ever seen in the National Football League."

On Monday, Arians said he believed the block on Campbell was premeditated, but Broncos coach John Fox defended Thomas' actions. From The Denver Post:

"I talked to (Arians) after the game. I have been doing it for 35 years, not quite 37. It's not the dirtiest play I have seen this year, let alone in 35 years," Fox said. "Not necessarily whether it was the right or wrong technique is that cut blocking is allowed in the National Football League. It's utilized by everybody in the league, but you cannot have the tackle engage in a cut block at the same time. In no way was it intentional. It's never been coached by me or anybody on my staff. In four years I believe it's the first chop blocked called in my tenure. It was a look we had not seen much of. We weren't targeting anyone."