Washington Commanders linebacker Frankie Luvu has been handed a one-game suspension for a hip-drop tackle, but he’s not done fighting it yet. As he appeals the ruling, the NFL has assigned one of three former players to review his case, a move that will decide whether the league’s first suspension under the new rule holds up.

His case will go to one of three independent officers, Derrick Brooks, Ramon Foster, or Jordy Nelson, who handle all player discipline appeals for the NFL and NFLPA. The NFL cited Rule 12, Section 2, Article 18 (a)(b), which bans a player from grabbing a runner and dropping his hips or lower body onto the opponent’s legs. Officials ruled that Luvu’s tackle on WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba fit that definition exactly.

League monitors reviewed the play after the game and confirmed the violation. The decision has made Luvu the first player to ever be suspended under the new rule. He will lose $508,333 and miss Week 10 against the Detroit Lions. The Commanders will get him back on November 10, before their Week 11 game against the Miami Dolphins in Madrid. This also marks Luvu’s third offense of the season.

The league had already fined Luvu $23,186 in Week 4 for a similar hit on the Falcons and $46,372 in Week 8 for another against the Chiefs. His third violation came early against Seattle on a 2nd-and-17 play, when officials said his hip-drop tackle could’ve caused serious injury. Despite that, Luvu has been one of Washington’s most consistent defenders this season. Now in his eighth NFL year and second with the Commanders, the 29-year-old has tallied 50 tackles, two sacks, four tackles for loss, a forced fumble, and two passes defended through nine games.

The Commanders will feel his absence. They have lost four straight games, and their defense is already thin because of injuries. However, this is not the only big hit that the Washington Commanders took with injuries piling up.

Frankie Luvu incident has intensified the situation for the Commanders

Cornerback Marshon Lattimore tore his ACL in Sunday night’s 38–14 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. The injury ends his season and breaks the heart of this defense. At 29, he had just started to look like his old self again. Now, he faces a long road to recovery.

Lattimore went down in the third quarter on a non-contact play. Coach Dan Quinn later said the tests showed an ACL tear. The Commanders lose their top corner, the player they trusted to lead the defense. Washington’s pass defense already struggled, giving up over 253 yards per game. Coach Quinn must now rebuild his defense fast.

He has to find new players, keep the team motivated, and cover the gaps. Quarterback Jayden Daniels added more pain to the night. He dislocated his elbow in the fourth quarter after taking several hits. He tried to keep playing, but his arm twisted badly on one tackle. Doctors said there was no fracture, but he will miss a few weeks.

Quinn admitted he should have taken him out earlier. Daniels has been hit too often this season. The offensive line hasn’t protected him well. He spends every game under pressure, and it’s slowing his progress. His injury now adds more trouble for the offense. The Commanders’ season is slipping away. They started 2025 as Super Bowl contenders.

Now, they’ve lost four straight games, including three blowouts. With Lattimore hurt, Daniels sidelined, and Frankie Luvu suspended, the team is falling apart. When the eason started, Washington was a challenger to the best teams in the league. Now, even reaching the playoffs looks hard.

This fall from Super Bowl hopes to survival mode is painful and heartbreaking for the team, as a whole.