The NFL decided not to fine Eagles quarterback Mike Vick for his public complaints regarding the lack of roughing-the-passer penalties after Sunday’s loss to the Giants. The NFL also has decided not to fine the Giants defensive lineman who was responsible for what many regarded as the one clearly illegal hit on Vick that didn’t result in a penalty.
The league has informed PFT that Giants defensive tackle Chris Canty will not be fined for a third-quarter hit that appeared to entail Canty’s helmet hitting Vick’s helmet after he had released the ball.
Given that it seems apparent Canty made helmet-to-helmet contact with Vick, it’s hard not to wonder whether the league opted to refrain from fining Canty in order to avoid giving credence to Vick’s concerns. Though Vick’s complaints regarding his perception that he doesn’t draw flags that other quarterbacks get was, in our estimation, off the mark, the league had cleaned up other missed calls on quarterbacks like Tom Brady, Matt Ryan, and Kerry Collins by assessing fines after the fact. The failure to fine Canty for his hit on Vick seems odd, to say the least.