DENVER (AP) — This time, Kareem Jackson caught no breaks from the NFL, which denied his appeal of his four-game suspension for a high hit on Minnesota Vikings quarterback Joshua Dobbs that came on his third play back from his first suspension.

Hearing officer Derrick Brooks, jointly appointed by the NFL and NFLPA, upheld the punishment handed down a day earlier. Brooks also heard Jackson’s last appeal, for an illegal hit on a Green Bay tight end last month, and cut that four-game suspension in half.

Jackson will miss games against the Browns, Texans, Chargers and Lions, the last three on the road, before he’s allowed to return against New England on Christmas Eve.

His suspension comes at a critical time for the Broncos (5-5), who own the league’s longest active winning streak at four games as they try to become just the fourth team to reach the playoffs after starting 1-5.

Complicating matters is the ankle injury suffered by his fill-in, PJ Locke, that sidelined him Sunday night when the Broncos rallied past the Vikings 21-20 thanks to three takeaways.

The hard-hitting 14th-year pro acknowledged upon his return from his first suspension last week that he couldn’t guarantee he’d keep from getting in the NFL’s crosshairs again for his overly aggressive play, and it didn’t take long for him to prove it.

On the game’s third snap, Jackson launched at Dobbs and led with the crown of his helmet on a third-and-1 run. Just as Dobbs was about to get hit, edge rusher Baron Browning pried the ball loose and nickel cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian recovered for Denver.

The hit wasn’t flagged, so the turnover stood and Denver converted a field goal.

Jackson has run afoul of the league’s efforts to promote player safety all season, getting fined a total of $89,670 for four illegal hits before losing $279,000 in lost wages during his first suspension.

This suspension will cost him another $558,000, bringing his 2023 total in fines and forfeitures to $926,560, making him by far the most penalized player in the league this year.

NFL Vice President of Football Operations Jon Runyan issued the latest suspension for a violation of the league’s rules prohibiting players from lowering their head and making forcible contact with the helmet.

In a letter to Jackson notifying him of his latest suspension, Runyan wrote, “Illegal acts that are flagrant and jeopardize the safety of players will not be tolerated. The league will continue to stress enforcement of the rules that prohibit using your helmet to make forcible contact with your opponent.”

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