Ndamukong Suh and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.  (Photo: Jeff Zelevansky/GettyImages)

Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh received a dose of clarity on what he was doing that earned him the reputation as the dirtiest player in the game during a meeting with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and executive members of the NFL staff Tuesday.

He has received a large number of penalties for hits on opposing quarterbacks and has been fined $42,500 for hits on three different quarterbacks during his first two years in the league.

"I have gained a better understanding how I need to continue to play the game to help my team win," Suh said in a statement. "I look forward to the rest of the season and doing everything we can to bring the Lombardi Trophy to Detroit."

Suh sought out the meeting with Goodell, likely because he didn’t want to be a liability as the team pushes for the playoffs. Suh was accompanied by head coach Jim Schwartz and team president Tom Lewand.

"Ndamukong plays the game with great skill and passion and is a major reason for the Lions' success this year," Goodell said in a statement. "In the course of our dialogue today, we reviewed video showing that Ndamukong has clearly made the adjustments to play consistently within the rules so that he can continue to help the team. We commend Ndamukong's leadership in taking the initiative to schedule today's meeting."

Contact Terrance Harris at terrancefharris@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @Terranceharris