Panthers LB Thomas Davis suspended 2 games for hit on Davante Adams

4:23 PM ET

Carolina Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis has been suspended two games for his illegal hit on Green Bay Packers receiver Davante Adams in Sunday's game, the league announced Monday.

Davis plans to appeal the suspension, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Davis hit a defenseless Adams, leading with his helmet, after Panthers safety Colin Jones picked off an Aaron Rodgers pass and returned it 34 yards.

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  Davante Adams lashed out at Thomas Davis on Monday, tweeting that the Panthers linebacker was "headhunting" when he led with his helmet on a blindside hit against the Packers wide receiver.

Davis was penalized for the hit but remained in the game.

Adams lashed out at Davis on Monday, tweeting that the Panthers linebacker was "headhunting" when he led with his helmet on the blindside hit Sunday. Davis tweeted a reply to Adams, saying he "made a mistake."

Adams was able to walk off under his own power, unlike after the concussion he suffered against the Bears in Week 4, when Chicago linebacker Danny Trevathan knocked him out. Adams was taken off the field on a gurney and spent the night in the hospital but returned for the next game. Trevathan served a one-game suspension.

Sunday's concussion was Adams' third in two seasons. Panthers coach Ron Rivera said earlier Monday, however, that he did not think Davis intended to hit Adams in the head.

"If you see Thomas' reaction to the hit that he made, you know that it wasn't intentional to hit him that way," Rivera said. "It was intentional that he wanted to block him, and I just take it from the way he reacted he did not intend to hit him high or in the head."

Davis also was fined earlier in the year for a hit against Chicago that he appealed, so he was considered a repeat offender. Panthers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks does not believe Davis' hit against Adams warrants a suspension.

"Definitely not," Wilks said. "And I think you have to look at the person. We know Thomas is a class act. The emphasis right there was when you get an interception, you're really trying to set the wall. We put a lot of emphasis on trying to score on defense. So I don't think it was anything malicious in anything Thomas was trying to do."

Shaq Thompson, Carolina's other outside linebacker, has missed the past two games with a foot injury. Thompson said on Monday he was feeling better and hoped to play on Sunday against Tampa Bay, but there's a chance the Panthers could be without both starting outside linebackers if Davis has to serve the suspension.

ESPN's David Newton contributed to this report.

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