The NFL suspended Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison one game without pay for his helmet-to-helmet hit Thursday night on Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy.

Harrison is expected to miss Monday night's game against the San Francisco 49ers, though he has appealed the suspension, his agent, Bill Parise, told The Associated Press.

Harrison's appeal is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET Wednesday via phone. The appeal will be heard by Ted Cottrell, jointly appointed by the NFL and the players' association to hear such cases.

The odds of a successful appeal are small. Shell declined to reduce the two-game ban given to Detroit Lions nose tackle Ndamukong Suh after Suh stomped on an opponent's arm last month.

Harrison becomes the first player to be suspended for a helmet-to-helmet hit at a time when the NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has attempted to enforce enhanced player safety rules.

While he is suspended, Harrison cannot practice with the Steelers or be at the team's facility or a stadium where they will be playing. He is scheduled to be reinstated Dec. 20.

Harrison had restructured his contract in August, taking his base salary down to $1.25 million. If he misses one game, he will forfeit $73,529.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said the team respects the league's decision

while acknowledging Harrison's play was a foul.

"We're disappointed for James because we know how hard he's

worked to play within the rules," Tomlin said. "We accept the

judgment rendered by the league office and we'll move forward."

Harrison's hit on McCoy was his fifth illegal hit against a quarterback in the past three seasons. In addition to the fines he has received for hits on quarterbacks, he also has been fined twice more for unnecessary roughness for other hits during that time period.

Harrison posted a thank-you message to his fans on his Twitter page after the suspension was announced.

"Thank you to all my fans and supporters, I'm just going to move on from here and get ready for my next game," he tweeted.