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Ravens' John Harbaugh: Eagles crossed line by calling out Suggs

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said the Eagles “[crossed] the line” by calling out Terrell Suggs for his tackle on Sam Bradford on Saturday.
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Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said the Eagles “[crossed] the line” by calling out linebacker Terrell Suggs for his tackle on quarterback Sam Bradford in the Ravens' 40-17 preseason loss to the Eagles on Saturday.

Bradford, who returned to the field Saturday for the first time since missing the entire 2014 season due to a re-torn ACL, was tackled by Suggs on a play that drew a 15-yard penalty for a low hit. 

NFL vice president of officiating Dean Blandino said on the NFL Network on Monday that Suggs's tackle was legal, and officials were mistaken to flag him for roughing the passer since Bradford is a potential runner, and thus, isn't granted special protection on a read-option play. 

• NFL's Dean Blandino: Terrell Suggs's hit on Sam Bradford was legal

Following the NFL's clearance of Suggs on Monday, Harbaugh chimed in to defend his star against comments made by Bradford and Eagles left tackle Jason Peters describing Suggs as a “dirty player.”

“When you start popping off about somebody's character, you cross the line,” Harbaugh said Monday. “That's not really something that we would respect. But most of their guys over there understood the play and understood [Suggs] was playing hard and trying to get stops.

“He played it exactly the way we were coaching him to play it,” Harbaugh added.

Watch Suggs's controversial hit below:

• BURKE: Sam Bradford survives his Eagles debut

- Kayla Lombardo