Suggs: Commish behind blackout

Updated: October 1, 2013, 5:37 PM ET
By Jamison Hensley | ESPN.com

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs accuses NFL commissioner Roger Goodell of having a role in the Super Bowl blackout during an interview on ESPN's "E:60" that will air Tuesday.

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"I was like Vegas, parlor tricks, you know what I mean?" Suggs said. "I was like, ahh, Roger Goodell, he never stops, he always has something up his sleeve. He just couldn't let us have this one in a landslide, huh?"

The lights went out early in the third quarter of February's Super Bowl between the Ravens and San Francisco 49ers, shortly after Jacoby Jones' 108-yard kickoff return gave Baltimore a 28-6 lead. The unprecedented Super Bowl moment delayed the game for 34 minutes. San Francisco then scored 17 unanswered points once the game resumed, and the Ravens needed a late fourth-quarter stand in the red zone to prevail.

ESPN NFL commentator and former Raven Ray Lewis brought up a conspiracy theory on the "America's Game" documentary series that the power outage may have been a ploy to help the 49ers regroup, but Suggs pointed the finger directly at Goodell.

"I thought he had a hand in it," Suggs said. "Most definitely, he had a hand in it."

[+] EnlargeSan Francisco 49ers
Matthew Emmons/USA TODAY SportsThe Ravens led the 49ers 28-6 before the lights went out for 34 minutes at the Superdome in the Super Bowl. San Francisco rallied after the blackout, forcing Baltimore to hold on for a tight win.

Suggs said he believes Goodell favors some teams over others.

"We walk out of the Denver game, and linebackers are warming up on their sideline, and who do we see talking with John Elway, and it's like hmmm. I thought, your commissioner is supposed to be neutral," Suggs said. "He ain't supposed to be on one side or the other; he's supposed to be in the box. I saw him on their sideline and I was like, huh, I know who he's going for. I think he definitely has his favorites."

Suggs added, "He'll deny it, but, like I said, when I run out of the tunnel and the first thing I see is John Elway laughing it up, I'm definitely going to feel some way about that. You're the commissioner of this league and you're supposed to make sure everything is being played on an even playing field. I definitely don't think he's doing a good job, and I don't think he should be making $10 million a year. That's just my personal opinion."

Goodell actually made $29.49 million in 2012, according to the league's tax return.

Jamison Hensley

ESPN AFC North reporter
  • University of Maryland graduate
  • Lives in the Baltimore area with his wife and son

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