Getty ImagesAntonio Garay wasn’t the only defensive lineman fined $15,000 for hitting a quarterback low during Week Two.
Seahawks defensive tackle Raheem Brock was slapped with the same fine for his hit on Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in the first half of the Steelers’ 24-0 victory. Roethlisberger completed a pass to Heath Miller on the play and Brock was flagged for roughing the passer. Roethlisberger left the game for a couple of plays, but returned and played the rest of the way.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that Brock plans to appeal the fine and Brock let the world know the basis for his appeal on his Twitter account.
“Fined by the NFL today for being “TRIPPED” by an o’lineman and fallin into the QB’s legs! Smh if I only had super powers to stop mid air”
Brock later tweeted a link to this photo, which does appear to show him tripping over tackle Marcus Gilbert’s leg on the way toward Roethlisberger’s knees. The video of the play shows Brock stumbling over Gilbert’s leg, although he is clearly still trying to propel himself toward Roethlisberger after he gets tripped up by Gilbert.
Whether Gilbert’s involvement is enough to get the fine overturned remains to be seen, but you have to imagine that the video of the play was examined at league headquarters before the fine was handed down. That would lead you to believe the fine will stand despite Brock’s feeling that he didn’t deserve any punishment.
Roethlisberger whining for a flag was priceless.
He’s also appealing the fine for not paying his restaurant bill in Philly.
He got caught by an illegal leg whip(not flagged) and fell face first into QB(flagged). Fine should be repealed. (but I may be biased)
You are not biased vahawker. You are just right.
I’m glad this is a slow new days, I have a lot of work to do anyway…(smh)
What a baby….man up and take the fine!
Looks like he may have been tripped with his momentum moving forward. Not easy to start that much weight that quickly.
Result of the appeal will probably depend on the standard of review. Anyone know? De novo? Clearly erroneous? Arbitrary and capricious?
Hmmmm? Roethlisberger since the two rapes – Lost Super Bowl in a lousy performance, suspended by the NFL, punched by Richard Seymour in which teammates did nothing to defend him, now almost had knee ruined….KARMA.
As a Steeler fan, I thought the season was gone when I saw Ben’s knee turn in like that. I agree that the flag should have been thrown, because you still must have control of your body (is how the league see’s it). I don’t think this should have been a fine. Later in the game, however, I member of the Seahawks defense (don’t remember whom) hit Ben below the knees intentionally. This one was not flagged. The 2nd play should have been the one with the fine if any.
The people who post in here saying to pay this fine are going to be insecure Steelers fans who bitch when Harrison is fined for being trash.
He would have a point, if he didn’t wrap his arms around Ben’s legs as he went down.
@brandonyer yea and those that are crying about this fine are the same ones who said Harrison deserved his fine….can’t have it both way boys…we warned you all that we were headed down a slippery slope….how’s it feel now….everyone’s a target of this BS now NOT just the steelers….better get used to it!!!
First of all….the leg barely if at all touched him. The TV announcer said it did and they only very briefly showed the replay and it didn’t appear that the o lineman’s leg even hit him. But of course instead of correcting himself the announcer didn’t follow up. Now you have Brock and his replay and photos taken from 500 yards away. Sorry doesn’t jive. He dove at his legs and he got caught. Pay the fine whiner.
Save the fines for players who badmouth the commish and refs. Throwing a flag is one thing, but the fining of players for incidental contact during a play is complete baloney.
And no, Brock’s hit wasn’t intentional. These are professional players, not wannabe toughguys who run their mouths on the internet to make themselves feel good.
BIG BEN plays center for the Pistons!
rectumnearlykilledem says:Sep 22, 2011 11:43 AM
Hmmmm? Roethlisberger since the two rapes – Lost Super Bowl in a lousy performance, suspended by the NFL, punched by Richard Seymour in which teammates did nothing to defend him, now almost had knee ruined….KARMA.
OH look, we have another rape convictor. Mr, moron,… please submit the facts showing Ben was convicted of any such doing? Until you do, your kangaroo public court opinion is worthless. Present facts. Dig deep rectum boy.
hairpie says: Roethlisberger whining for a flag was priceless.
Whining for a flag–guess he has reached Tom Brady status.
brandonyer says: The people who post in here saying to pay this fine are going to be insecure Steelers fans who bitch when Harrison is fined for being trash.
Hmmm. 6 games already and Harrison hasn’t been fined once.
dayumyou says: those that are crying about this fine are the same ones who said Harrison deserved his fine….can’t have it both way boys…we warned you all that we were headed down a slippery slope….how’s it feel now….everyone’s a target of this BS now NOT just the steelers….better get used to it!!!
Completely agree with you. Steelers don’t look so stupid now for voting against the new CBA. Apparently the Steelers were the only smart team to see where things were headed and wanted to stop it.
I’ve been having this argument with my friend, a Seahawks fan, all week.
Brock fell because of his entanglement with Gilbert’s legs, no dispute there. However, my understanding of the Brady rule is that a defender then has a duty to do whatever he can to avoid contact with the QB’s knees.
Brock did NOTHING to avoid contact, and in fact wrapped his arms around Ben’s legs until Ben was on the ground. Not only is that dirty, I would have been OUTRAGED if Brock did not get fined.
It was more a trip, than a whip–and Brock made the most of it. He went for Ben’s knee. He drew the flag, as well he should have. But as I’ve said many times, I don’t believe Goodell’s idiotic fining nonsense. The more he does it, the more meaningless fines become. Fines should be saved for something egregious like reaching inside a helmet and trying to gouge out an opponent’s eyes–and then they should be coupled with a suspension. Penalties should be flagged on the field. This one was, and that should be the end of it.
I’m sure somewhere Carson Palmer is shaking his head. Did Von Olhoefen ever get fined for essentially ending Palmer’s career?
The Steeler haters sure come out when a article is about one of their players. The league made these rules, you can’t fine a guy for hitting Brady and then turn your head on other teams. The guy hit Ben low, flag thrown, should be fined.
The OL who did the leg-whip should face an equal fine.
Both the hit on Ben and Brady deserved fines. I don’t want to see any QB’s hurt. And please stop with the Brady is a complainer nonsense. He didn’t complain once.
@stelermichele,
The Steelers were the only team not to ratify. Some believe it was because of the HGH testing clause. But you’re sure that wasn’t the reason right?
If you hate the Steelers or Ben you see a leg whip and no reason for a fine. If you are objective you see an obvious trip (not even close to a leg whip) and a low hit on Roethlisberger. BOTH could have been flagged. Its a fine because this is a protect the high money players (i.e QB’s) league, and if they fined Garay, then they had to fine Brock. The quarterback has a strike zone on him, above the knees to the shoulders. I wouldn’t be surprised if future qb uniforms include no hit zone markings. Good luck with all your tweeting and appeal.
tatatoothy says:
I’m sure somewhere Carson Palmer is shaking his head. Did Von Olhoefen ever get fined for essentially ending Palmer’s career?
————————————————–
No, Carson isn’t shaking his head. He said publicly afterward that he’d seen the film, it was an obvious accident, and he didn’t have any problem with Kimo.
Essentially ending Palmer’s career? Are you kidding? Tom Brady suffered the same injury and was back in the playoffs the following season. A year later he was league MVP. I know you Bengals want to blame your problems on a knee injury Palmer suffered in 2005 and you want to pretend it was deliberate, but that doesn’t make it true. Get a grip.
habsman says: @stelermichele, The Steelers were the only team not to ratify. Some believe it was because of the HGH testing clause. But you’re sure that wasn’t the reason right?
I’m sure it’s not because of HGH:
Ryan Clark, the Steelers rep, said this about not ratifying: “A big issue for us is Roger Goodell having absolute control over the fines system, judge, jury and appeals. For a lot of teams, it wouldn`t be as big a deal, but for us it is. We`re the team that gets fined the most and we play a brand of football that sometimes subjects us to his opinion.”
Apparently the fines have become a big deal for other teams. .
Sure show the camera angles that make it look the worst…The replay during the game showed the trip from the ground looking straight at Brock and that Brock tripped and stumbled into the QB which was completely unavoidable. Brock should win this appeal if there is any justice.
tomosbornesretirementcostjoepaatitle says:
Sep 22, 2011 11:52 AM
He would have a point, if he didn’t wrap his arms around Ben’s legs as he went down.
Actually if you look closely you will see that is more than likely what saved Ben’s knee.
“OH look, we have another rape convictor. Mr, moron,… please submit the facts showing Ben was convicted of any such doing? Until you do, your kangaroo public court opinion is worthless. Present facts. Dig deep rectum boy.”
He wasn’t convicted because it never went to trial…he settled (also known as paying them off) outside of court.
Hell, as a lifelong Steeler fan — I don’t think Brock should have been fined (or flagged).
If Ben’s knee has been shredded, it would suck MAJOR balls — but as for Brock’s intent, it looked to me like Brock’s pass rush was clearly impeded in a way that compromised his ability to do anything other than what he did.
There was a hit on Ben’s knees shortly after the Brock hit that actually *was* egregious — a straight torpedo shot to the knees, but no one talks about that since (1) Ben got back up right away, albeit very gingerly, and (2) that hit drew no flag or replay hype job.
[As a tangential aside, it's amazing how the populace responds so fervently to what the media tells them is important (rather than thinking for themselves). The ghost of Joseph Goebbels' lives on, in spirit.]
Certainly a trip, and if the refs didn’t see it, fine…but upon further review, it shouldn’t be a fineable offence.
Legursky’s cheap clip from behind should’ve also been fined, as it was a lot more deliberate.
savannah … He didn’t settle. Evidence shows no rapes occurred. Get your facts straight.
savannah … I’m a journalist who thoroughly researched both cases, reviewed w/criminal attys, and w/people who worked the Ga. case.
I’m also a woman being muzzled by NBC–held to one-sentence posts because I talk back to the lil boys who run moderation. They can’t find their penises and blame me.
So much for the “lean forward” network. What would the Huffington Post say? Maybe I should write them and find out.
Oh … the boys are feeling frisky today LOL
BTW, fellas, in case you’re new … no matter what any PFT squirt said, I only snap at moderators who monkey w/my posts. Otherwise, I’m angelic, easy-going, zero trouble. Just ask CFT
when did personal fouls become fines?it used to be 15 yards but now it is an automatic fine.i know most nfl players are broke within a few years of retirement but no need to help them be broke before they retire.i understand if it is an intentional personel foul but on accidental personel fouls is a joke to be fineing players.if anyone hasnt noticed thanks to new rules in hitting defenseless players and hitting the qb look at how many bad defenses there are now.qbs are shattering records,scores are up,the nfl is starting to look like arena football with all the scoreing going on i guess this is the style of football we will be seeing for now on.it makes me sick you cant play defense because players are hesitent to hit someone and be fined for it.roger goddell should be fired we need a real commish to run our sport.