NFL suspends Bears LB Danny Trevathan two games for violating safety rules

Chicago Bears linebacker Danny Trevathan has been suspended two games without pay by the NFL for a frightening hit Thursday night that sentGreen Bay Packerswide receiver Davante Adamsto the hospital.

The league announced the suspension Saturday, saying Trevathan violated Rule 12, Section 2, Article 6: "There shall be no unnecessary roughness. This shall include, but will not be limited to: (i) using any part of a player's helmet or facemask to butt, spear, or ram an opponent violently or unnecessarily."

Trevathan will appeal, a league source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Adams was taken off the field on a stretcher with about 4 minutes left in the third quarter Thursday after he was hit in the head during a tackle by Trevathan. The game was delayed for about five minutes while medical personnel tended to Adams. He gave a thumbs-up signal as he was wheeled off the field and was later hospitalized before being released Friday.

Trevathan was called for an unnecessary roughness penalty but was not ejected from the 35-14 Bears loss.

"I regret the level I hit him at," Trevathan said after the game. "But you got to understand I had momentum, and I was just trying to make a play."

The Packers were upset at the play after the game, taking issue with what they viewed as the linebacker celebrating.

"What we thought was f---ed up was that he was celebrating that play," Packers tight end Martellus Bennett said. "You get your ass kicked, you took a cheap shot, and you celebrate when a guy goes down. That's what really pissed us off."

As the suspension stands now, Trevathan is eligible to return to the Bears' active roster on Oct. 16. His appeal will take place this coming week and will be heard by James Thrash or Derrick Brooks, appeals officers jointly appointed by NFL and NFLPA.

Information from ESPN's Jeff Dickerson and Rob Demovsky and The Associated Press was used in this report.