Ndamukong Suh Ndamukong Suh ( , born January 6 , 1987 ) is an American football defensive tackle for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League ( NFL ) . He played college football for the University of Nebraska , and earned All - American honors . He was chosen by the Lions with the second overall pick of the 2010 NFL Draft . As a college senior , Suh became one of the most decorated players in college football history . He won numerous awards including the Associated Press College Football Player of the Year Award , Bronko Nagurski Trophy , Chuck Bednarik Award , Lombardi Award and Outland Trophy , and was recognized as a unanimous All - American . Suh has been criticized in the media and by other players for his aggressive style of play and has been fined a total of $ 216 , 875 by the NFL for four violations thus far in his career . Early years . Suh was born in Portland , Oregon . He attended Grant High School in Portland , where he was a two - way lineman for the Generals . Suh earned first - team All - PIL honors on both offense and defense as a junior and was an honorable - mention all - state pick . In his senior year , he had 65 tackles , including 10 sacks and recovered four fumbles , which earned him " Parade " magazine high school All - America honors , the 2004 Portland Interscholastic League Defensive Player of the Year , and a Class 4A first - team all - state selection . He also played in the 2005 U . S . Army All - American Bowl . In track he was the district shot put champion in 2004 , and won the OSAA Class 4A shot put title in 2005 with a school - record throw of 61 - 4 . For his all - around athletic accomplishments , Suh was a finalist for the Portland Tribune ’ s Athlete of the Year . Considered a four - star recruit by " Rivals . com " , Suh was the sixth ranked defensive tackle in the nation . Recruited by many , Suh took official visits to Nebraska , Mississippi State , Oregon State , Miami ( FL ) , and California , before committing to the Cornhuskers on January 20 , 2005 . College career . Suh attended the University of Nebraska , where he played for the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team from 2005 to 2009 . As a true freshman in 2005 , Suh played in the first two games and had an assisted tackle against Wake Forest before missing the remainder of the season after undergoing knee surgery . He received a medical redshirt . In 2006 , Suh played in all 14 games as a backup defensive lineman and earned freshman All - Big 12 honors from " The Sporting News " . Despite coming off the bench , he finished the year with 19 total tackles , and ranked among the team leaders in tackles for loss ( 8 ) and quarterback sack s ( 3½ ) . In his sophomore season , Suh started in 11 of the Cornhuskers ' 12 games , and recorded 34 total tackles on the season . As a junior in 2008 , Suh recorded a team - high 76 tackles , 7 . 5 sacks , 19 tackles for loss , 2 interceptions ( both returned for touchdown s ) and a touchdown reception while playing fullback . He became the first Nebraska defensive lineman to lead the team in tackles since 1973 . Suh earned First - team All - Big 12 honors in 2008 , the first Nebraska interior defensive lineman to earn those honors since Steve Warren in 1999 . He was also an honorable mention All - American . In 2009 , Suh registered 85 tackles , 12 quarterback sacks , 28 quarterback hurries , 24 tackles for loss , 10 pass breakups , three blocked kicks , and one interception . Suh had 12 tackles ( seven for losses , a school single - game record ) and 4½ sacks in a 13 – 12 loss to the Texas Longhorns in the Big 12 Championship Game , for which he received game MVP honors . He helped Huskers defense rank first nationally in scoring defense ( 10 . 4 ppg ) , tied for second in total sacks ( 44 ) , first in pass efficiency defense ( 87 . 3 ) , seventh in total defense ( 272 . 0 ypg ) , ninth in rushing defense ( 93 . 1 ypg ) and 18th in passing defense ( 178 . 9 ypg ) . He also played all four quarters versus Arizona in the 2009 Holiday Bowl , helping Nebraska record the first shutout in the Holiday Bowl ' s 32 - year history , as well as the first shutout in school bowl history . He earned unanimous first - team All - Big 12 honors and the Big - 12 Defensive Player of the Year . Nationally , he was named the Associated Press College Football Player of the Year , the recipient of the Bill Willis Trophy , Bronko Nagurski Trophy , Chuck Bednarik Award , Lombardi Award and Outland Trophy , and was recognized as a unanimous first - team All - American . He was also a finalist for the Lott Trophy , Walter Camp Award , and Heisman Trophy . Awards . On December 3 , 2009 , Suh was named as one of five finalists for the Walter Camp Award . On November 24 , 2009 , Suh was named one of three finalists for the 2009 Outland Trophy , alongside Mike Iupati and Russell Okung . On November 10 , Suh was selected one of four finalists for the 2009 Lombardi Award , the first Cornhusker to receive this honor since Dominic Raiola in 2000 . In October 2009 , Suh was named to " The Sporting News " and " CBS Sports " midseason All - American team . Suh began season at No . 3 on " Rivals . com ′ s " preseason defensive tackle power ranking . He was also named to the 2009 Outland Trophy watch list . On December 7 , 2009 , Suh was named a finalist for the Heisman Trophy . Later that evening , Suh was named the 2009 Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner as the top defensive player in the nation . CBS Sportsline also named Suh their Defensive Player of the Year . The Touchdown Club of Columbus named Suh the winner of the Bill Willis Trophy on December 9 , 2009 . That same evening Suh won the Lombardi Award for the top collegiate lineman or linebacker . On December 11 , at the ESPN College Football Awards show , Suh was selected as the winner of the Chuck Bednarik Award as the nation ' s best defensive player and took home the Outland Trophy for the best interior lineman . Suh finished fourth in the Heisman race , accumulating 815 points , which is the highest total by a fourth - place finisher for the Heisman in its history . He was also one of four unanimous selections to the AP First - team All - America in 2009 . Suh was named the 2009 AP Player of Year , becoming the first defensive player to receive the award in its history . Professional career . 2010 NFL Draft . Suh was widely considered to be one of the best prospects available in the draft . " ESPN . com ' s " draft analyst Mel Kiper , Jr . described Suh as " maybe the most dominating defensive tackle I ' ve seen in 32 years " and projected him to go # 1 overall . Suh was seen as an ideal fit at either defensive tackle in a 4 – 3 defense or as a defensive end in a 3 – 4 NFL defense . For off the field marketing activities , Suh signed with The Agency Sports Management & Marketing , where Russ Spielman will serve as lead agent . At the NFL Combine , Suh bench pressed 225 lb 32 times and had a 35½ inch vertical leap , the highest for a defensive tackle since Al Lucas ( 36 in ) in 2000 . According to Barnes : " He is not a hard worker ; he is a " relentless " worker . " To prepare for the NFL Draft ( and contract negotiations ) Suh signed with Maximum Sports Management , and agent Roosevelt Barnes , who would serve as Suh ' s lead agent . This caused moderate concern for many teams who were hoping to draft him , as this was the same agent who represented Michael Crabtree . Crabtree was the longest 2009 NFL Draft 1st round contract hold out , waiting over six weeks into the NFL season before signing with the San Francisco 49ers . He even threatened to re - enter the 2010 NFL Draft . Suh was selected second overall in the 2010 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions , the first defensive lineman the franchise selected in the first round since Luther Elliss in 1995 . Suh was the highest selected Cornhusker defender since Neil Smith in 1988 . Detroit Lions . 2010 : Rookie Year . On August 3 , Suh agreed to a five - year , $ 68 million contract with the Lions , including $ 40 million guaranteed . On September 12 , Suh had his first sack against Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler . On October 10 , during a game against the St . Louis Rams , he recorded his first career interception off of Sam Bradford , the No . 1 overall pick of the 2010 NFL Draft . Suh scored his first touchdown of his NFL career against the Washington Redskins on October 31 , 2010 , on a recovery of a Rex Grossman fumble . After an injury to Lions kicker Jason Hanson , the Lions had Suh attempt an extra point on November 7 , 2010 , against the New York Jets . However , Suh missed the extra point when the ball hit the right upright . For the 2010 season , Suh led the Lions , all rookies , and all defensive tackles in sacks with 10 . He was picked as a starter for the Pro Bowl , becoming the first Lions rookie since Barry Sanders to be picked as a Pro Bowl starter . He missed the game , however , due to shoulder surgery . On January 25 , 2011 , Suh was named to the All - Pro Team . He was also named the Sporting News Rookie of the Year , the Pro Football Weekly and Pro Football Writers of America Rookie of the Year , the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year , and the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year . 2011 . In the 2011 season on week 14 against the Oakland Raiders , Suh jumped up to block the game winning field goal , to make the Lions 9 – 5 – 0 . Suh was named a Pro Bowl alternate for the NFC after the 2011 NFL season . During the third quarter of the Lions ' Thanksgiving game against the Green Bay Packers on November 24 , 2011 , Suh pushed Packers ' offensive lineman Evan Dietrich - Smith ' s head into the ground three times , then stomped on his arm . All of this took place after the whistle was blown . Suh was penalized for unnecessary roughness and ejected from the game . The resulting penalty gave the Packers an automatic first down . The Packers would score a touchdown two plays later , giving them a 14 – 0 lead and an eventual 27 – 15 victory . Initially , Suh denied stomping on Dietrich - Smith , saying he was only trying to get his balance back . However , on Friday morning , the Lions issued a statement calling Suh ' s actions " unacceptable . " Within hours , Suh wrote on his Facebook page that he ' d " made a mistake " a day before and intended to learn from it . Fox Sports NFL rules analyst and former vice president of officiating Mike Pereira said that based on his knowledge of league discipline , " the question won ’ t be if the NFL will suspend Suh , but when — and for how many games . " He drew parallels between Suh ' s actions and those of Albert Haynesworth , who drew a five - game suspension — the longest suspension for an on - field incident in modern NFL history — for stomping on Andre Gurode ' s head in 2006 . On November 29 , the NFL suspended Suh for two games without pay . In announcing the decision , Roger Goodell noted that it was the fifth time Suh had been disciplined for on - field conduct . Soon after the suspension was handed down , Suh announced he would appeal the decision . The NFL held an expedited hearing before former Oakland Raiders coach Art Shell , so that a decision could be handed down before the Lions ' next game , on December 4 , against the New Orleans Saints . The appeal was turned down on December 2 , forcing Suh to sit out the game against the Saints and the December 11 game against the Minnesota Vikings . Suh finished the 2011 season with 4 sacks , a pass defended , and 26 tackles . 2012 . During a Thanksgiving game on November 22 , 2012 , Suh was involved in a play in which he kicked Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub in the groin . The incident resulted in a $ 30 , 000 fine from the league , nearly double the mandated fine for a second offense of " striking / kicking / kneeing " an opponent . There was speculation the size of the fine was recognition by the league of Suh ' s history of questionable on - field hits , while others viewed it as a " wishy - washy " and " cop - out " action by the league in issuing a large fine without a suspension . In issuing the fine , Roger Goodell stated , " “ Any time you see a play like that , you want to say , ‘ Why did it happen ? ’ It ’ s hard for us to be able to determine that just from video . Those are the things that sometimes you have to talk to Ndamukong in this case , or the player , but intent is something that ’ s very difficult for us to ever try to make a judgment on . ” Suh denied the kick was intentional , stating his foot inadvertently hit Schaub as he was being dragged to the ground . Suh finished 2012 with 8 sacks , 2 passes defended , and 25 tackles in 16 games ( 15 starts ) . 2013 . In the Lions ' Week 1 victory over the Minnesota Vikings , 34 – 24 , Suh low blocked John Sullivan during a DeAndre Levy " pick 6 " ; the resulting personal foul nullified Levy ' s touchdown . Two days after the game , Suh was fined $ 100 , 000 for the hit — which , not counting lost pay for suspensions , is the largest fine ever issued to a player for on - the - field actions . He would appeal the fine but the ruling was later upheld by the NFL , which brought the total fines levied against Suh to $ 177 , 500 . In the Lions ' Week 6 victory over the Cleveland Browns , Suh tackled Browns QB Brandon Weeden in a questionable manner . Though not called for a penalty during the game , Suh was later fined $ 31 , 500 by the NFL . This brought the total fines levied against him to $ 209 , 000 . During a Thanksgiving game against the Packers on November 28 , 2013 , Suh sacked Matt Flynn in the end zone , forcing a safety for the first time of his career . On November 29 , 2013 , Suh was fined $ 7 , 875 for performing a throat slash during a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers . This now brought the total fines levied against him to $ 216 , 875 . Style of play . Suh has been criticized in the media and by other players for his aggressive style of play and has been fined a total of $ 216 , 875 by the league for four violations in the first four years in his career . In a poll of fellow players conducted by the " Sporting News " , Suh was named " the dirtiest player " in the NFL . As of December 2011 , he had been flagged for nine personal fouls in his first two years , the most of any player in the league in that time frame . He was named the NFL ' s " Least - Liked Player " in a Forbes - publicized Nielsen report in October 2012 . Personal . Suh ’ s mother , Bernadette ( née Lennon ) Suh , an elementary school teacher , was born in Spanish Town , Jamaica , and is a graduate of Southern Oregon University . His father , Michael Suh , is from Cameroon and played semi - pro soccer in Germany while working as a machinist . They met and married in Portland , Oregon in 1982 , after Michael Suh was admitted to a Portland trade school . Although his father is only , Suh ' s great - grandfather , also named Ndamukong Suh , stood . In the Ngemba language of Cameroon , Ndamukong means " House of Spears . " Suh has four sisters ; he is the second oldest of the children . His older sister and manager , Odette Lennon Ngum Suh , played soccer collegiately at Mississippi State University and is currently a midfielder on the Cameroon women ' s national football team . Suh is a fan of Arsenal F . C . In 2012 , Suh participated in Fox ' s dating game show " The Choice " . Suh was nominated on " Splash " on March 10 , 2013 . He was eliminated on the 2nd week of the show . During the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs , Suh rode the zamboni at Joe Louis Arena wearing a Detroit Red Wings jersey during the Detroit Red Wings playoff series against the Chicago Blackhawks . Donation and endowment . On April 17 , 2010 , at the annual Husker Spring Game , Suh announced a $ 2 . 6 million donation to the University of Nebraska . Two million dollars of his gift will go to Nebraska Athletics for its Strength and Conditioning Program , and remaining $ 600 , 000 will create an endowed scholarship for the UNL College of Engineering , from which he graduated in 2009 with a degree in Construction Management . His gift is the largest single charitable contribution by any former player , and occurred before Suh was taken with the second overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft . Ndamukong Suh , a former Grant High School football star , donated $ 250 , 000 toward the effort to bring a turf field to Grant High School in 2013 . Endorsements . Before Suh was drafted by an NFL team , he signed an endorsement deal with Nike . Suh has also signed endorsement deals with Subway , Dick ' s Sporting Goods , Omaha Steaks , and Chrysler .