Eric Smith of New York Jets fined $10,000 for helmet hit
Back in 2008, Eric Smith, safety for the New York Jets, was fined for hitting Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Anquan Boldin in a helmet to helmet collision that stunned Boldin and required immediate medical attention. The Jets released a statement then that
the hit was not intentional:
"We respect and support the league's emphasis on player safety. Knowing Eric, we are confident that he did not intend to injure Anquan Boldin. Anquan was hit from behind by another player that accelerated the collision with Eric. Our thoughts are with Anquan
and we hope that he has a healthy recovery."
However, the league had been cracking down on hard hitters at that point in time and Smith was fined $50,000 and suspended for one game because of the hit. Now, he has been fined again.
Mere days before the AFC Championship game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Smith said that he wouldn’t try to get revenge against the Steelers’ Hines Ward because he might be fined.
However, Smith was still fined $10,000 for unnecessary roughness on a hit on Steelers’ Emmanuel Sanders.
The Jets weren’t able to get to their first Super Bowl in over 40 years and Smith became a bit less rich in the process.
The fine came in the Jets’ 24-29 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, advancing the Steelers to Super Bowl XLV and sending the Jets packing to get away from another disappointing season end.
Smith, a free safety, has recorded 54 tackles over the 2010 season along with one sack.
Although the Jets were sent home once again, offensive tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson, center Nick Mangold and cornerback Darrelle Revis are getting ready for the 2011 Pro Bowl. The Pro Bowl will be held at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii on January 30 and
will be held before the Super Bowl for only the second time since the Pro Bowl has started. Many have created uproar over the idea to do so but NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says that the results of last year’s test on the date change yielded positive results.
Super Bowl XLV will be held on Sunday, February 6th at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas with a scheduled kickoff time of exactly 6:29 PM ET between the Green Bay Packers and Steelers. However, there will be a pregame show in which the Most
Valuable Player will be announced.
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