By Bill Bradley, contributing editor
The suspension of Washington Redskins safety Brandon Meriweather was reduced from two games to one after his appeal, the NFL announced Wednesday.
Ted Cottrell, the hearing officer in Meriweather's case, made the decision after the defensive back's appeal. Cottrell is a jointly appointed arbiter by the NFL and NFL Players Association to hear and decide appeals for on-field player discipline.
The Miami, Fla., product will miss Sunday's game at the Denver Broncos. The suspension includes a one-game loss of pay.
Meriweather was suspended Monday for repeated violations of the NFL's safety rules, including two helmet-to-helmet hits on Chicago Bears players during Sunday's win.
The suspension, which was imposed by NFL vice president of football operations Merton Hanks, was levied after Meriweather was penalized twice Sunday for unnecessary roughness. His hits sidelined Bears wide receivers Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery with head injuries.
The safety was fined $42,000 after Week 2 for violating the NFL's "crown-of-the-helmet rule" for a hit on Green Bay Packers running back Eddie Lacy. His helmet hits also have knocked teammate Brian Orakpo and himself out of games this season.
