Ex-NFL Player Thinks Cam Sutton Got Off Easy with 8-Game Suspension

Former NFL linebacker Will Compton ripped Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Cam Sutton over his eight-game suspension for violating the domestic violence portion of the league’s conduct policy, when he was arrested for domestic assault earlier this offseason. Given the disturbing reported details of what happened, Compton thinks Sutton got off easy.

“Cameron Sutton assaulting and strangling his girl, and only being suspended 8 games is absolutely insane,” Compton wrote.

Cameron Sutton assaulting and strangling his girl, and only being suspended 8 games is absolutely insane

— Will Compton (@_willcompton) July 10, 2024

Sutton was originally charged with a felony, before it was reduced to misdemeanor. At that point, he entered a pre-trial diversion program that included admitting guilt. The NFL independently investigated the allegations and confirmed that Sutton violated the league’s policy.

Sutton spent three weeks earlier this offseason wanted by police after he was alleged to have assaulted a woman in a home in Lutz, Florida on March 7. Sutton was released by the Detroit Lions on March 21 after one year of a three-year, $33 million free agent contract.

Per the Tampa Bay Times, the probable cause affidavit stated: “During the argument, Sutton picked up the woman and slammed her into a wall, then bit her on the neck, leaving a quarter-sized abrasion that bled. . . . Sutton then grabbed the woman by the face and neck and choked her, causing her to briefly lose consciousness. . . . The altercation continued into the living room of the home, where Sutton held down the woman by her hair and struck her twice with his fist, causing a knot to form on the woman’s forehead.”

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk expressed a similar opinion on the matter. He thinks the Steelers’ signing of Sutton hasn’t received enough scrutiny.

“I think the Steelers deserve to be scrutinized and criticized for making the decision to give Cam Sutton safe harbor,” Florio said. “When you look at the affidavits, the allegations are strong.”

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said at minicamp that he felt comfortable with the signing of Sutton because of his personal relationship with him. Sutton was drafted by the Steelers in 2017 and played in Pittsburgh up until signing a three-year, $33 million contract with the Detroit Lions in March of 2023.

“There are not any conversations that we had recently, it’s the totality of our relationship,” Tomlin said. “I met this guy in Knoxville, man, six, seven years ago, whatever it was, when he came out of school. He’s a great guy. He loves football.

“It’s probably the totality of our relationship and I probably represent the sentiment of the organization and saying that it’s less about specific conversations, particularly of late, and it’s about the relationship established over a longer period of time.”