James Harrison fined $75,000

[elcheato]

CLEVELAND -- Earlier in the day, Ray Anderson, NFL vice president of operations, admitted the game officials blew it by not penalizing Steelers linebacker James Harrison for his high hit on defenseless receiver Mohamed Massaquoi in Sunday's 28-10 Browns loss in Pittsburgh.

By afternoon, the other shoe dropped. Harrison was fined $75,000 for the hit by the NFL office.

Harrison's fine was the largest of those given out to players in an eventful weekend of devastating hits. New England safety Brandon Meriweather and Atlanta cornerback Dunta Robinson were fined $50,000 each for their illegal hits.

Harrison's fine was larger, reports said, because he was a repeat offender.

No players were suspended.

In an interview with Peter King of SI.com, NFL Vice President of Operations Ray Anderson said the hit on Massaquoi should have drawn a penalty.

"That call should have been made," Anderson said to King.

Had an unecessary rougness penalty been called on Harrison, the Browns would have had a first down at the Steelers' 41-yard line with 1:55 to go in the first half. They were down at the time, 7-3.

well deserved... even though he's being suspended for the Massaquoi one, he clearly was head hunting with Cribbs when he took him out..

 

[.infamous]

This new rule is ridiculous. I hate it. If you're gonna play football you better take the risks with it. Thats just my opinion.The way Harrison plays is the way I like football being played. And I already know that my comment is going to most likely get people mad.

 

[elcheato]

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So you think the game should be played like that? Cribbs was on his way down, and Harrison comes in leading with his head, straight for Cribbs' head.. Didn't even try to tackle, just completely ran in with his helmet.

 

[.infamous]

You can tell that he though cribbs was gonna break the tackle. He wouldnt have led the tackle like that if he didnt think that cribbs was gonna break the tackle. Before this year nobody would've cared about these damn plays. The only reason why people are caring about them now is because there is a damn rule for them now.

 

[elcheato]

Where in that play could you possibly see him breaking that tackle? He was on the way down, between a Steeler player and his own team mate, he had no way out. That hit was completely un-necessary and was an attempt to take him out, even after the game Harrison said he is out to hurt people.

 

[DJT]

I like the rule, your not supposed to ever lead with your head, someone can get seriously hurt. We had a kid on our football team who started having seizures during a game after leading with his head on a tackle. Ended up being in a coma for quite some time. Came out, and he had brain problems that have really affected his whole life. With this new rule, it will help that players will think about how they are tackling rather than going in for the spear.

 

[footballplaya52]

really david?

<Censored> was dity.

 

[TTN2810]

<Censored> was mother <Censored>ing dirty.

LOL at Harrison. He's a baby. Now he's saying he might retire.

Seriously though, the rule is fine! But the refs are interpreting it and over using it. The Dunta Robinson hit was clean IMO. Didn't lead with his head, and he was just going for the play, and for all he knew DeSean was gonna catch it.

 

[cruzg24]

This new rule will lead to more injuries which isnt that the basis of the rule? I like the rule but on very selective plays, I dont want players to have to be thinking about this rule in the back of their minds. Doesnt a running back lead with their head as well when running with the ball and seeing a defender? I think the rule should be solely based on intent and that way it wouldnt affect the play on the field as much.

 

[.infamous]

mark schlereth went crazy on the nfl on espn lol. This rule is probably the stupidest rule in the nfl.

 

[elcheato]

yep, it's stupid to protect people's health and keep them from dying at the age of 50 or becoming mentally handicapped because of constant hits to the head.

 

[.infamous]

mark schlereth who played in the nfl and has 29 surgeries because of football disagrees with this. Also there is tons of players that are saying its a stupid rule. Let the players play the way they want to. If this wouldnt have happened to a browns player you would've not cared. IMO let the players play they want to. It was worse back in the day. The football now is <Censored> <Censored> compared to back in the day. They mine as well be playing two hand touch out there. Also this was they way the players were taught to play and most of these hits we split second reactions.

 

[elcheato]

It's funny, cause it didn't just happen to a Browns player, it happened to about 5 other guys this weekend..

And I don't care about NFL analysts on ESPN.. ESPN is a joke. They hire idiots like Trent Dilfer and then people like Merril Hoge with biased agendas.

 

[.infamous]

Im just saying you wouldnt have posted this or cared about this issue if it didnt happen to a browns player. Players in the nfl disagree with this rule so bad. I say the defensive players should just go out there and play two hand touch and show how boring a game will be when you cant hit like that. There will be more injuries now since they changed the rule, because now players are going to be second guessing and they wont get situated right and they will get hurt.

 

[elcheato]

They're stopping helmet to helmet hits.. What is the problem? How does that make it two hand touch football? What game are you watching? Lol no they're not going to get hurt second guessing themselves, who ever you took that quote from is way off base..

 

[footballplaya52]

browns fan or not. the <Censored> was was dirty. so was meriweathers.

id like to see what would happen on here if stafford got torpedoed helmet to helmet.

 

[elcheato]

Also lol at Harrison saying he might retire... His dirty hits are being exposed and he can't do them anymore without being suspended, so he might have to quit football.

 

[WHO-DEY-BENGALS_18]

Sucks when it happens to your players, doesn't it?

 

[ZigZag]

Damn now that's a fine that will get people stopping

 

[elcheato]

Well, TJ Ward didn't lead with his helmet.. He led with his shoulder, so there is the first difference, and the second is Harrison already has a reputation for being a dirty player.

Not to mention TJ Ward got flagged and it cost the Browns a touchdown. Harrison didn't get flagged on either of his two hits so it cost the Steelers nothing in game.

edit: And my main beef is the deliberate head shots.. Harrison was clearly going for Cribbs' head, as was Marriweather with Heap. Harrison's second hit on Massaquoi is questionable because Massaquoi kinda dropped down and went into Harrison.