Various members of the Pittsburgh Steelers lately have been very outspoken regarding the NFL’s rules regarding fines for in-game rules violations.
But some of the Steelers need to get their facts straight.
The latest offender? Safety Troy Polamalu, who thinks that the same person who levies the fine handles the appeal of it.
“When I appeal or anyone appeals, we appeal to the same person who gave us the fine,” Polamalu told Dan Patrick on Tuesday. “I just think it could be cleaned up a little bit. The fines are so big right now -- $50,000, $75,000. We just gotta make sure we’re fining people for the right reason.”
Polamalu suggested some changes. “I think that current players and front-office people and some former players should be part of the process,” Polamalu said. “You can haveformer players, maybe one offensive and defensive player from each team. . . . Maybe coaches involved.”
Actually, coaches already are involved. Two former coaches, not the league. Art Shell and Ted Cottrell handle the appeals of fines imposed by the league for in-game violations.
Earlier this year, the NFL and the union agreed to this approach, and the league and the NFLPA shares in the fees and expenses. Thus, Shell and Cottrell aren’t league employees; they’re employed jointly by management and labor.
And Shell and Cottrell have recently shown their independence, overturning the $10,000 league-imposed fine on Chiefs defensive tackle Shaun Smith for grabbing groins.
We’ll give Troy the benefit of the doubt on this one, even though we’re starting to wonder whether one or more members of the Steelers organization are subtly shading the facts in order to keep maximum pressure on the league office to refrain from taking action that will hurt the competitive interests of a defense-driven franchise.