Ndamukong Suh to appeal his two-game suspension

This afternoon, Ndamukong Suh will present his appeal of his two-game suspension for stomping Packers guard Evan Dietrich-Smith to Art Shell via conference call. The league handed out the suspension Tuesday, but Suh immediately appealed.

Shell is a joint appointee of the NFL and the players' association for such cases. Suh stomped on Dietrich-Smith during Detroit's Thanksgiving Day loss to the Packers and was ejected. Should he lose the appeal, he will miss Sunday's game at New Orleans and the Lions' Dec. 11 home game against Minnesota.

Usually, a hearing is held within 10 days of the filing of an appeal. But the league has expedited Suh's high-profile case to give the Lions and the second-year player an answer before the Saints game, according to Boston.com.

Should he lose the appeal, he will miss Sunday's game at New Orleans and the Lions' Dec. 11 home game against Minnesota.

If Suh, the 2010 Defensive Rookie of the Year and an All-Pro, loses the appeal, he can return to the Lions on Dec. 12 before a road game against the Raiders. He is barred from practice and the team's facility while suspended. "I've got to be smart about it," he said. "Obviously, I'd want to play next week if they'd allow me. I don't think that's going to be in the cards. It could be I'm done for the season.", says San Francisco Chronicle.

Lions coach Jim Schwartz said today he doesn't think his team has been distracted by the attention surrounding Suh's behavior and punishment. "That's not on our guys' mind at all," he said. "It's New Orleans Saints."

If the suspension is upheld, Suh will miss games Sunday at New Orleans and next week against the Minnesota Vikings. Shell was jointly appointed by the NFL and the players' association and is compensated by both parties, informs Detroit Free Press.

Asked about the incident after the game, Suh sounded defiant, insisting he didn't intentionally step on Dietrich-Smith. A day later, following criticism from the Lions, Suh apologized to his teammates, organization and fans -- not to Dietrich-Smith. His actions prompted more criticism around the league, with some calling Suh the NFL's dirtiest player.

Suh can afford any fines - he is making $40 million guaranteed with a chance to get paid as much as $68 million in a five-year contract he signed after Detroit drafted him No. 2 overall in 2010, reports CBSSports.com.