Harrison Fined $20,000 For Hit On Brees
PITTSBURGH (AP) - Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison was fined $20,000 for a late hit on New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, the third time the NFL has fined him this season for a dangerous tackle.
The penalties total $100,000, including a $75,000 fine for his Oct. 17 helmet hit that left Cleveland Browns wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi with a concussion.
"The amount of money is becoming an issue," Harrison said on Thursday. "The fines that they issued to me, two of them weren't even called penalties. I don't even know what to say anymore."
The $75,000 fine was handed out the week the NFL adopted its tougher stance on hits to the head and neck, a policy that briefly led Harrison to consider retiring. Harrison also was fined $5,000 for a hard hit on Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young on Sept. 19.
Harrison was summoned to New York to meet on Tuesday with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to discuss the NFL's stricter enforcement of dangerous hits. Harrison termed the meeting "semi-productive," and he said it included a discussion about the Brees hit.
On that play, Harrison was given a roughing-the-passer penalty for tackling Brees from behind after the quarterback threw a pass.
