NFL Fines 16 Players For Illegal Hits
NEW YORK (AP) — Sixteen players, eight in each conference, were fined Friday by the NFL for illegal hits, including Atlanta defensive end Kroy Biermann and Cincinnati linebacker Dhani Jones, each docked $15,000.
Biermann got the biggest fine for helmet-to-helmet contact on Seattle quarterback Charlie Whitehurst. Jones was fined for the same infraction against Browns quarterback Colt McCoy.
Overall, seven players were fined for roughing the passer and three for flagrant fouls on defenseless receivers, two points of emphasis by the league this year.
Baltimore free safety Ed Reed was fined $10,000 for hitting New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees in the face. Chicago linebacker Brian Urlacher lost $10,000 for striking defenseless Minnesota tight end Visanthe Shiancoe in the neck and head area, Urlacher's second violation.
Another Bears defender, rookie safety Major Wright, also was docked $10,000 for hitting rookie QB Joe Webb in the head and neck area and leading with his helmet.
Two Indianapolis Colts were docked $10,000 each. DE Robert Mathis struck Jacksonville QB David Garrard in the head and neck area. Safety Antoine Bethea was called for helmet-to-helmet contact with Jaguars WR Mike Thomas.
New England cornerback Devin McCourty was fined $10,000 for unnecessary roughness. The rookie struck another rookie, Andrew Quarless, in the head and neck area when the Packers tight end was defenseless.
Five players were fined $7,500 apiece, including Vikings DT Kevin Williams for a late hit on Chicago QB Jay Cutler. Fellow Viking Antoine Winfield also roughed Cutler; the cornerback hit Cutler in the head and neck area to draw his fine.
Two players in the Eagles-Giants game were docked $7,500. New York LB Jonathan Goff was fined $7,500 for unnecessary roughness for hitting Philadelphia QB Michael Vick late and out of bounds. Eagles CB Dimitri Patterson was called for a horse-collar tackle.
Kansas City LB Demorrio Williams was fined $7,500 for a late hit against St. Louis.
New England DT Vince Wilfork was docked $5,000 for a major facemask when he grabbed Packers RB Brandon Jackson. Dallas CB Terence Newman lost $5,000 for spearing Washington WR Santana Moss.
Knowshon Moreno was fined $5,000 for a major facemask penalty.
