Running back Eric Dickerson was suspended for four games Thursday by the Indianapolis Colts and penalized $500,000 - one of the costliest sanctions ever placed on a professional athlete.
The winless Colts, citing insubordination, suspended Dickerson for four games and fined him one game's paycheck - a total of $500,000 or one-quarter his salary.The team said in a statement Dickerson refused to practice Wednesday though directed specifically to do so. The disciplinary measures were for "insubordination and conduct detrimental to the club."
The team said it is "asserting its rights under his player contract as result of this voluntary breach." The club said it would not comment further.
Dickerson earns $2 million a season, or $100,000 a game for 16 regular-season games and four exhibition games.