Pro sports leagues have long since used fines as a way of punishment. In theory, it’s a good plan. Players need to have basic safety and security in knowing that someone can’t clothesline them or helmet to helmet them. The majority of players respect each other and the game and do not do these things on purpose, but even accidents can cause serious injury and need to be addressed. But how far should the league go in attempt to penalize the mishap and why isn’t there a standard for determining the fine?

In October alone, Pittsburgh’s Harrison was fine $75,000, New England’s Meriweather $75,000, and Atlanta’s Robinson $75,000 for dangerous and flagrant hits. In December, Baltimore’s McClain was also fined $40,000 for a helmet hit. Robinson, his target DeSean Jackson, as well as Harrison’s target Mohammed Massaquoi and McClain’s target Heath Miller all sustained concussions from the hits. So I’m a little interested why the fines are not all the same amount? Possibly due to Harrison being a repeat offender, receiving a $5,000 fine a month prior for unnecessary roughness. He was brazen enough to make the following statement, “I’m going to have to sit down and have a serious conversation with my coach tomorrow and see if I can actually play by NFL rules and still be effective. If not, I might have to give up playing football”. Really? You don’t think you can play without destroying people, or do you just not want to? Massaquoi’s agent, Ayrault made a good point, that Harrison made over $20 million in the last three years so $80,000 to him is not exactly enough to be a deterrent. The NFL has announced that future offenses will result in escalating fines and/or suspension. I support blatant offenses resulting in higher fines and suspensions in order to keep players out of harms way.

In November, Giant’s RB Brandon Jacobs was fined $20,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct, making obscene gestures and yelling obscenities at fans in Lincoln Financial Field during pregame warm up. This was his second offense of the season, following a Colts game in week two, where we flung his helmet into the stands. He was benched by Coach Coughlin and fined $10,000 by the league. I feel that these fines are appropriate. He did not purposely inflict injury on another player, but still violated conduct rules and deserved the fines.

Another issue which seems to be increasing is the need for coach fines. In 2005, former Minnesota coach Mike Tice was fined $100,000 by the league for scalping Superbowl tickets. In 2006, Tennessee’s coach, Jeff fisher was fine $12,500 for criticizing officials. The largest fine came in 2007 following the ever so famous “Spygate” scandal surrounding the Patriots videotaping defensive signals of The Jets. (I still think this whole situation was ridiculous, but that’s beside the point and likely because I’m from New England). Coach Belichick was fined $500,000 personally, the Patriots as an organization was fined $250,000 and stripped of the following season’s first round draft pick. This seems a bit excessive to me but there are plenty of people that would argue it was well deserved. This November, Denver head coach, and ex Belichick coworker, Josh McDaniels was not only fined $50,000 for illegally videotaping a practice, but he was also fired by the Broncos. So why is one coach fined $450,000 less than the other? That seems a little unfair, but I guess he got the worse of the two by being fired. 

But the most recent coach fine is what spurred my interest in the topic- the fine and suspension of Jets’ strength coach Sal Alosi. In Sunday’s game against Miami, Alosi appears to have stuck his foot out, tripping Miami cornerback Nolan Carroll near the sideline. Alosi was fined $25,000 as well as suspended from the rest of the season without pay. For someone who doesn’t earn a head coach’s salary, this is big hit to Alosi. I watched the replay video, and while his foot may have tripped Carroll, it appeared to already be in the position, extended a little. It was not a blatant, obvious move, and his bigger mistake may have been not taking step back for Carroll to run by. While I think some disciplinary action should be taken, I personally think this fine is crossing the line. The fine or the suspension would have sufficed, unnecessary for both. My best friend also made a good point- the NFL makes enough money, why not portion some of the fines to charities? Wow, they wear pink shoes and sew a pink ribbon to their uniforms for Breast Cancer awareness. A lot of difference that makes. I think a cut of one of those hefty fines would do a whole lot more good for breast cancer research, or any other worthy cause of choice.