[BLUE]

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Posted by Michael David Smith on August 17, 2012, 3:42 PM EDT

Eagles cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie thought his hit on Steelers quarterback Byron Leftwich was clean. But the NFL disagreed.

Rodgers-Cromartie was fined $21,000 for unnecessary roughness, the league office confirmed to PFT today. In the view of the league, Rodgers-Cromartie unnecessarily struck Leftwich in the head and neck area while Leftwich was considered a defenseless player.

The fine amount of $21,000 represents a 5 percent increase over the $20,000 fine that a similar hit would have drawn last season. Article 46 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement states, “The designated minimum fines will increase by 5% for the 2012 League Year, and each League Year thereafter during the term of this Agreement.”

Although Rodgers-Cromartie didn’t think he did anything wrong, the rules are clear that a player cannot initiate unnecessary contact against an opponent in the act of throwing a pass or just after throwing a pass, and so it’s no surprise that Rodgers-Cromartie was fined.

Source: ProFootballTalk
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And the hit that drew the flag and fine:

This post has been edited by BLUE: 17 August 2012 - 03:24 PM

[Vin]

Good.

[dutchff7]

Yeah, DRC is a veteran and knows better then that. Very stupid play.

[RogerGoodellSucks]

That definitely deserved a fine. He went right at Leftwich's head.

[Romo]

Players will never learn because $21000 is nothing to these guys they earn more than that weekly!

funny thing is a football (soccer) player called another player a choc ice and got fined £45000, crazy minimal difference in fines from aggressively tackling someone and then borderline racism

[SteVo]

If he didn't leave his feet they probably would have fined him, and it would have been bullshit, but when you leave your feet like that, it'a a dirty play.

Pay up, DRC.

[seanbrock]

SteVo, on 17 August 2012 - 06:24 PM, said:

If he didn't leave his feet they probably would have fined him, and it would have been bullshit, but when you leave your feet like that, it'a a dirty play.

Pay up, DRC.

He deserves the fine but I still don't think it was a dirty play. He was just trying to make a play. That shit happens in football sometimes. No mater how much you fine people how many times these things will still happen. It's the nature of the beast. Football is an intense and physical game. It'll curb it but it'll still happen. You can't take it out of the game completely and just because a guy hits somebody illegally, doesn't make them a dirty player.

[Ngata_Chance]

Man it is funny because ten years ago people would be raving about that hit. I agree by the rules it was wrong, but man it was a good hit. I will appluad a DB for making a tackle like that.

It would have been different if he was tied up and momentum stopped and then he did that, but seeing as how he was just making a play I am not going to chastise him for it.

Oh well this is this new brand of wuss football I guess.

[Rain Man]

That was just an absolutely stupid play by DRC. You can't tell me that he took off for that hit NOT knowing that he was going to get penalized. Then they say "This is something that was missing from the Eagles secondary last year" well yeah, because it's a stupid play! Damn.

That wasn't even one of the questionable ones, DRC just straight up launched into his chin.

Fines for illegal hits should be different for all hits based on severity, and I don't care who administers them. Set a minimum, and a maximum. I really wish they would increase the amount too, upwards of 50,000 - 65,000 would be much better. Look at the cash these guys are making. $20,000 isn't shit.

[B-isforBowe]

Romo, on 17 August 2012 - 04:46 PM, said:

Players will never learn because $21000 is nothing to these guys they earn more than that weekly!

Chris D, on 18 August 2012 - 10:36 AM, said:

Fines for illegal hits should be different for all hits based on severity, and I don't care who administers them. Set a minimum, and a maximum. I really wish they would increase the amount too, upwards of 50,000 - 65,000 would be much better. Look at the cash these guys are making. $20,000 isn't shit.

Apparently, you guys aren't alone in this thinking.

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But maybe a fine wasn't enough? Chris Mortensen of ESPN reports that the fine is "not sitting well" with folks around the league, and "one prominent coach thought this would merit a suspension."

Rodgers-Comartie has made light of the situation though...

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“Twenty-one thousand. I ain't even got that," Rodgers-Cromartie said, via CSNPhilly.com.

We assume he was joking, but there's really not much funny about the way he launched himself into Leftwich. On the bright side, it doesn't sound like Cro will be laying any of these hits on other players in the near future.

“I won't hit him no more, I'll tell you that much,” Rodgers-Cromartie said. “It's not even a vicious hit... shoot, he got up right from it. I mean, I'll say I left my feet. I can understand that. I can understand a fine coming.”

Will Brinson, CBS Sports

[SteVo]

As many on here, especially oochymp and Zack IIRC, have pointed out, a flat rate system for fines is stupid. A $25,000 fine may mean a lot to the dime corner who's making $400,000 per year, but it's barely pocket change to the superstar making $7 million. Fines should be based on percent of salary.

[vikesfan1]

SteVo, on 19 August 2012 - 11:32 AM, said:

As many on here, especially oochymp and Zack IIRC, have pointed out, a flat rate system for fines is stupid. A $25,000 fine may mean a lot to the dime corner who's making $400,000 per year, but it's barely pocket change to the superstar making $7 million. Fines should be based on percent of salary.

+1

[Mathias]

Yeah, the flat rate system is idiotic. Our rookie FB got fined an insane amount last season against Arizona.

Here's an example why it is.

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Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com reports that Chapas received a $20,000 fine for leveling Cardinals linebacker Reggie Walker during a punt return. Archer points out that Chapas made only $22,000 for the game.

This post has been edited by Mathias: 19 August 2012 - 02:05 PM