Rattlers DL Anttaj Hawthorne suspended 4 games for late hit on San Jose QB Erik Meyer

Rattlers defensive lineman Anttaj Hawthorne has been suspended four games by the Arena Football League on Tuesday for his late hit Saturday on San Jose quarterback Erik Meyer.

Coach and General Manager Kevin Guy said Hawthorne has appealed the suspension and is waiting to hear back from the AFL.

Commissioner Scott Butera does not comment on disciplinary matters, according to Anthony Herron, vice president of communications for the AFL.

The Rattlers (4-2), coming off a 56-34 loss at home to the SaberCats, travel to play the New Orleans VooDoo on Saturday.

Replays showed that it appeared that Meyer was injured on the hit by Mike McAdoo on the play that knocked Meyer out of the game. Hawthorne hit Meyer at the mid-body range as he was on the turf.

Hawthorne had not been fined for a late hit on a quarterback this season.

"Was it a late hit? Yes," Guy said. "Did it warrant a suspension? I don't think so.

"The week before, when (quarterback) Nick (Davila) got hurt on a play where there was an illegal defense (against the LA Kiss), you didn't hear me cry about that. It's part of the game. I didn't think it was intentional. It was a hard play and something happened."

Meyer was carted off the field after the play and taken to a hospital.

On Monday, a SaberCats spokesman declined to comment on Meyer's upper-body injury to the San Jose Mercury News.

Guy said Hawthorne was not intentionally trying to hurt Meyer.

"He is not that kind of player," Guy said. "He doesn't deliberately try to hurt anyone. It's a physical game.

"We're not going to apologize for hard, physical play. We are sorry that the guy got hurt. We're not trying to deliberately hurt anyone."