NFL Fine Fever
The NFL has continued slapping fines on players through week 13 since it started its crackdown on illegal hits in week 6 of the season. Five players have been fined for a cumulative $57,500. Starting down from the bottom, the Buffalo
Bills received two penalties on Friday. Running back Quinton Ganther was fined $5,000 for unnecessary roughness after drawing a ‘roughing the punter’ penalty in the Buffalo vs. Minnesota Vikings game on Sunday. Andy Levitre was also fined $7,500 for a late
hit in that game. The Bills lost that game 14 - 38.
Next up was the defensive lineman with the Arizona Cardinals, Alan Branch. He was hit with a $10,000 fine for a hit on Saint Luis Rams Quarterback Sam Bradford. Branch was given a ‘roughing the passes’ penalty on the play. The
Rams lost the game with 6 - 19.
Joining teammate Ndamukong Suh in the ranks of players who were fined for laying a hand on Chicago Bears’ quarterback Jay Cutler is defensive lineman Cliff Avril. He was hit with the same amount in fines as Suh for a second quarter
hit on Cutle. He received a ‘roughing the passer’ penalty and has been fined $15,000 for the play. Avril had three sacks in the game and helped set up a fourth. The Lions lost that game 24-20 after a late fourth quarter touchdown by Cutler.
The largest fine of the week so far has come down on Philadelphia Eagles defensive end, Trent Cole. The fine came for a hit on Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schuab. Cole hit Schuab in the knee area for which the League decided
to fine Cole $20,000. Cole has been disciplined before by the League. Cole would have escaped with a minor penalty but this was his fourth infraction since 2009.
“I just know I got pushed on the ground,” Cole said, explaining he was rolled into the quarterback by another player. “I was coming off of a double-team. I’m going to try to appeal it but hey, it’s like, hey, you’ve got to respect
the call.”
Many players have appealed their fines but so far the League has not reversed its decision on any occasion. The National Football Leagues Players Association said that appeal processes should be handled by a neutral arbitrator
however the League has so far been reluctant to let appeals be handled in such a way.
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