The NFL established a precedent this season with Richard Seymour, Andre Johnson and Cortland Finnegan that a punch will result in a $25,000 fine. By that standard, Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs got off easy this week.
Suggs was fined $15,000 for punching Bengals receiver Jerome Simpson on Sunday.
The NFL said the fine was “for striking an opponent. Specifically, after the play was over, he struck the opponent in the face.” The NFL did not say why Suggs was fined less for striking an opponent in the face than Seymour, Johnson and Finnegan were.
Although the officials didn’t see the punch and didn’t throw a flag, Suggs confessed after the game.
“Luckily I got away with one,” Suggs said. “Usually I don’t get away with anything. They were too busy looking for the spot on the ball.”
Simpson wasn’t pleased that no flag was thrown.
“He threw a pretty good right hand at me,” Simpson said. “I walked to the ref and said ‘he just blatantly hit me in front of everyone and you didn’t see it?’ I guess he got away with one.”