Troy Polamalu not fined for hit on Wes Welker

Posted by Michael David Smith on November 4, 2011, 6:16 PM EDT
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The NFL is cracking down this season on hits to the head and neck area of defenseless receivers, but the vicious hit that Steelers safety Troy Polamalu unleashed on Patriots receiver Wes Welker on Sunday apparently didn’t qualify.

Polamalu was not fined for his hit on Welker, the Boston Herald reports.

Welker suffered a neck injury on the play that has continued to bother him this week, but he is expected to play Sunday against the Giants.

Although Polamalu wasn’t fined, three other players from Sunday’s Steelers-Patriots game were: Steelers safety Ryan Clark for a hit on Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, Patriots safety Patrick Chung for facemasking and Patriots running back Kevin Faulk for a chop block.

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82 responses to “Troy Polamalu not fined for hit on Wes Welker”

  5. At first, I understood the thinking behind fining guys for severe or flagrant personal fouls.

    But when did it become the norm to fine guys for “routine” fouls the officials already penalized them for during the game?

    Facemasking gets called, and a team is penalized 15 yards and a resulting first down.

    Now we have to FINE the guy as well?

    Isn’t this double jeopardy?

  8. of course he wasnt fined, the nfl loves polamalu. i dont think he has ever made a tackle where they didnt show the replay 5 times. to bad they dont show how often he gets burned in coverage…

  10. He almost pops Welkers head off like a grape=no fine

    Bernard pollard leads with his shoulder makes textbook tackle graves bottom of facemask=fine

    Thanks NFL your really helping me and these players understand what is and isn’t a legal hit

  12. Vicious hit? You’re kidding, right? Walker being sprawled out on the ground made the hit seem worse than it really was. I can just imagine what would be said if TP would have blown up Welker’s knee instead.

    Maybe he shouldn’t go across the middle if he doesn’t like being hit “viciously”. There was nothing illegal or fine-worthy about that hit, and any talk otherwise stems from ignorance or bias.

  13. henrykissingerisgod says:Nov 4, 2011 6:30 PM

    All the pats fans will cry forgetting hoe they cheered the very strategy of punishing wide outs back when they had a good defense…remember against the colts and rams???
    ———————————————————-
    Pats didn’t really punish WRs, they just held them. Then Polian cried and started turning the game into what it is today. If they enforced the rules on the books, it would have been fine. Instead, now after every incompletion, everyone starts looking for a flag. After every game, players are waiting for their Fedex from the league. Sucks.

    IMO, as Pats fan, TP hit shouldn’t be fined. NFL is overcompensating. If they didn’t fine it, it was clean.

  14. first off if you watch the play they never hit helmets directly.troy was in the air and had his arms wrapped around his head that made it appear to be a head shot but wasnt..and when troys progress stopped and he started for the ground wess’s body just twisted funny..so get your story straight before u call him a head shot artist or a cheap shot..he is far from that..he is one of the if not the greatest free safteys in the league.

  15. For all you bozos who think he shouldn’t fined, check out SI. I doubt that Welker will play Sunday.
    If Polamalu isn’t fined he should be suspended. Wake up NFL inconsistent jerks.

  16. NO FLAG EITHER. KEEP PLAYING HARD FUTURE HALL OF FAMER.LET THE HATERS WISH YOU PLAYED ON THIER TEAM!!!

  18. Apparently trying to rip somebody’s head off isn’t a fine-able offense in the NFL. Let the head ripping begin in earnest.

  19. deepthreat says:
    Nov 4, 2011 6:30 PM
    They should legalize the hair tackle.

    ———————-

    It is legal. The reason Larry Johnson got flagged a few years ago after tackling Polamalu by his hair is, he then tried to pick (pull) him back up by his hair.

  20. steelernation1 says: Nov 4, 2011 6:55 PM

    first off if you watch the play they never hit helmets directly.troy was in the air and had his arms wrapped around his head that made it appear to be a head shot but wasnt..and when troys progress stopped and he started for the ground wess’s body just twisted funny..so get your story straight before u call him a head shot artist or a cheap shot..he is far from that..he is one of the if not the greatest free safteys in the league.

    ___________________________________

    Putting a guy in a headlock to bring him down is a cheap-shot genius. You must belong to that low-life faction of Steeler fans that make lame excuses for dirty football. I prefer the decent Steeler fans that like to see tough football but clean football.

  21. Come on now people – by the letter of the law in today’s softened nfl – that was absolutely a penalty and should have been a fine….. I do wish defense like that was still allowed – brings back memories of jack tatum and george atkinson – but those days are gone and that play was ABSOLUTELY illegal – there is no intelligent way to defend that.

  22. Did any of you watch football in the 60s, 70s or 80s…..

    Did not get face mask, did not him him in the head….

    There is no penalty….

    All you Raven fans need to reach between your legs and pull the white string hanging….

    Or look up what Man means in wikapedia or sometihng….

    Bunch of women on here pretending to be men.

  23. oh boy – in the time it took me to type an OBJECTIVE view of this – the steelers fans once again showed just how ignorant they really are – pathetic – keep drinking that steel beer or whatever the heck it is that takes away any chance of being even remotely intelligent out there in western pennsyltucky……

  24. Let me get this straight…

    So when Polamalu calls his wife telling her that he is okay after worries of a repeated concussion, he gets fined 10K…

    but when he takes off Welker’s head with a cheap shot he doesn’t get fined at all?

    Get your crap together, Roger.

  25. steelernation1 says:
    first off if you watch the play they never hit helmets directly.troy was in the air and had his arms wrapped around his head that made it appear to be a head shot but wasnt..and when troys progress stopped and he started for the ground wess’s body just twisted funny..so get your story straight before u call him a head shot artist or a cheap shot..he is far from that..he is one of the if not the greatest free safteys in the league.

    _________________

    I’m a Pats fan and I love TP. But that was a punishable hit. And the facemask is undeniable. Chung got one. Clark got one. Polamalu should have gotten one.

    Please at least TRY and be objective.

  26. hey jeffy43 – yes -watched a lot of football in the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s – also noticed a few rule changes since then – so climb out of your trailer once and awhile and check the rules of 2011!!!!!

  27. The Society For The Eradication Of All Small White Wide Receivers has offered to pay any fine Polo might incur.

  28. how was it punishable?tell me..he didnt get a penalty the league reviewed it and no fine so tell me son how was it illegal?rewatch the play he did nothing illegal.he darted in and flew in the air like super man and tackled a guy high there was no helmet on helmet shot and he originally grabbed him by his upper torso and when they were going down his arms slid up high..that son is not illegal..get over yourself.and move on from it..

  29. fijabbersman345 says:
    Nov 4, 2011 7:21 PM

    So when Polamalu calls his wife telling her that he is okay after worries of a repeated concussion, he gets fined 10K…
    —————————————————-
    No grey area or judgement on cellphones, due to players antics getting out of hand.

  32. Objective….

    This is football, not a courtroom….

    There was no helmet to hlemet, and he did not get the face mask….

    Again…. I use to wear a Mark Malone jersey, and they sucked…

    Just cuz your ugg wearing pats lost, does not mean you have to hate a winner…

    Great tackle.

    It was a legal hit. That is objective…

    Stop being a joke of a fan.

  34. gimmeabruschi says:
    I prefer the decent Steeler fans that like to see tough football but clean football.
    ———————————————————
    Yeah ……. BOTH of them!

  35. jg725 says: Nov 4, 2011 7:21 PM

    oh boy – in the time it took me to type an OBJECTIVE view of this – the steelers fans once again showed just how ignorant they really are – pathetic – keep drinking that steel beer or whatever the heck it is that takes away any chance of being even remotely intelligent out there in western pennsyltucky……

    ********************************************

    Apparently you’ve been drinking too much “steel beer” yourself then, King Smarts. If you’re going to use a geographical reference as if you know what you’re talking about, get it right. “Pennsyltucky” isn’t synonymous with Western PA, it’s all of PA outside of Pittsburgh and Philly. If you’re going to try to insult people from Pittsburgh (which you seem to be) and think you’re witty, maybe try to avoid making yourself look like a fool in the process.

  36. jg725 says:
    Nov 4, 2011 7:15 PM
    Come on now people – by the letter of the law in today’s softened nfl – that was absolutely a penalty and should have been a fine….. I do wish defense like that was still allowed – brings back memories of jack tatum and george atkinson – but those days are gone and that play was ABSOLUTELY illegal – there is no intelligent way to defend that.

    _________________________

    Allow me to try.

    The league reviewed the film and found it to be legal.

    If you can provide me with the rule stating that said hit was illegal I will be more than happy to rethink my position.

    I personally do not have a rule book so I cannot look it up, and I am way too lazy to try and find the rule on the NFL site. I also highly doubt you have the rule book, or are more knowledgeable of the rules than those who are directly involved in the league, such as the officials who did not throw a flag or the aforementioned review process..

  37. Steelernation- you are blineded buddy. Nobody is saying it was a helmet to helmet hit so i don’t understand why you keep saying the helmets didn’t hit? If pat chung gets a fine for a facemask then TP should have also gotten a fine. Are you saying there was no facemask there? Are you saying there was no blow to the head?

  38. Anyone who thinks that tackle was anything but legal should take off their ballerina dress and watch the tape. CLEAN TACKLE. Get over it.

    Belicheat was dumb for letting Seymour and Bodden go. You have no defense anymore.

  39. Idiots. They fine him 10k for using cell phone..what he is going to drop and injure some players. They don’t fine this…look at the photo where his hands are on the helmet and his intention was to twist welker head and injure him. Dirty play. Please pray that you don’t meet pats again in playoffs.

  40. “Oh, we can’t fine Troy. That Head and Shoulders advertising $$$ is a real help for the NFL…”

    Uh huh. Pretty sure it went something like that at the league office.

  41. richm2256 says:
    Nov 4, 2011 8:18 PM
    gimmeabruschi says:
    I prefer the decent Steeler fans that like to see tough football but clean football.
    ————���——————————————
    Yeah ……. BOTH of them!

    __
    You mean like BOTH of the Pats fans that existed pre-2001?

  42. tedmurph says:
    Nov 4, 2011 6:51 PM
    henrykissingerisgod says:Nov 4, 2011 6:30 PM

    All the pats fans will cry forgetting hoe they cheered the very strategy of punishing wide outs back when they had a good defense…remember against the colts and rams???
    ———————————————————-
    Pats didn’t really punish WRs, they just held them. Then Polian cried and started turning the game into what it is today. If they enforced the rules on the books, it would have been fine. Instead, now after every incompletion, everyone starts looking for a flag. After every game, players are waiting for their Fedex from the league. Sucks.

    IMO, as Pats fan, TP hit shouldn’t be fined. NFL is overcompensating. If they didn’t fine it, it was clean.

    __
    You mean like the Pats cried when Pollard made that legal hit on Brady that ended up blowing out his knee? Get real, teddiesmurf.

  43. Hit was good. It’s the little head corkscrew at the end that’s rough. The hit alone would have put little Wes on the ground.
    This is one bizarre football season. . .

  44. You’ve got to love the Pats running all those routes across the middle, and then crying like babies when their receivers get blown up. Welker should stand tall and take his hits like a man instead of ducking under a strong safety’s armpit to try to avoid punishment. Pats are in for a couple of long days against the G-men and the Jets.

  45. What’s illegal about it? He never grabs the facemask and it was definitely not a helmet to helmet hit.

    It’s not Troy’s fault that Welker is little turd that only comes up to his waist.

  46. =========================
    dubaradhandi says:
    Please pray that you don’t meet pats again in playoffs
    =========================

    the way the patsies have looked recently, that seems highly unlikely

  47. I hope to see the same photo above on Monday morning with 2 changes: Suggs in HAIR’S place and Wallace in Welker’s place. Then we can enjoy all of the comments from Squealernation about how dirty Baltimore is.

  48. How is it almost 2012 and you have a story about a hit without even so much as a link to the video?

  49. Troy didn’t get fined becuz the cheat riots cheated. The sbs are tainted and Tom Brady wears uggs and has all day to throw. The pats suck at 5-2 and they are a team in decline. Bb is the worst coach ever since they don’t win the sb every year and he doesn’t pick pro bowlers with every draft selection. As a fan of actual football, whatever rules that are in place should Cover this play. You can’t fine a guy for accidental helmet contact and then let trash like this fly. Disgrace……

  50. Given the direction the league has been going over the last 4 or 5 years, I’m really shocked. that a personal foul and $10k min fine wasn’t given for this.

  51. I seen the replay and the hit should have only drawn a flag at the very worse. TP Shouldnt have hit him high but the game is played fast and he didnt look like he had the best angle. By no means did Troy do that intentionally.
    Fine-No…… Face mask penalty yes…….. even by todays NFL sissy rules. You and your new rules stink RG.

  52. Ben got hit LATE n drilled into the ground.. i dont see any of you bitches crying for a fine there….U even look at Brady n u get a flag.. Save the whining already.

    dubaradhandi says: Nov 4, 2011 8:49 PM

    Idiots. They fine him 10k for using cell phone..what he is going to drop and injure some players. They don’t fine this…look at the photo where his hands are on the helmet and his intention was to twist welker head and injure him. Dirty play. Please pray that you don’t meet pats again in playoffs.

    LMAO U KNOW HIS INTENTIONS?? HAHAH SHUT THE HELL UP TARD.

    Considering I sat here for YEARS watchin yall CHEER for Rodney Harrison the dirtiest player EVER..this cracks me up.

  53. Wes was limited in practice but expected to play? HAHA Aint a damn thing wrong with him.. they dont mess around with neck injuries..just an attention getter.

  55. I’m not going to argue whether the hit was legal or illegal. Based on the rules, I believe the hit was legal simply because he did not launch with his helmet…or even make helmet to helmet contact. Regardless, I can understand how somebody could make a case either way.

    That said, I believe Polamalu might be the least dirtiest player in the NFL. I can’t imagine any scenario where he was trying to hurt Welker. Troy has one speed and plays the game the way it was meant to be played every play. He plays preseason games the same way he plays meaningful games. He is one of the greatest players I have ever watched. But…he is the last person that would intentionally try to hurt somebody with a “cheap shot”.

  56. @jeffa43

    Can’t really think of one woman wanting to pretend she is a man when it comes to football! Catch up dude, football is no longer a man’s sport!

  57. bozosforall says:Nov 4, 2011 9:06
    You mean like the Pats cried when Pollard made that legal hit on Brady that ended up blowing out his knee? Get real, teddiesmurf.
    ———————————————————-
    Who cried, produce one quote. The NFL changed the rules to protect their meal tickets, it’s all about the TV money. Didn’t come from the Pats. Usually Bozo, you know better than to take me on, I blow you up every time. I guess you’ll just troll another site untill someone else calls you out.

  59. Here’s the deal. If there was no flag during the game, then it is very likely not going to draw a fine. If there’s a questionable flag during the game for unnecessary roughness, you could very well see a fine on top just to “validate” the flag. It’s 2011 NFL…

  61. Greatest safety of this era. Possibly of all time. Guys like Ronnie Lott laid hits like Troy does week in and week out and were never fined. Don’t be a hater of a guy who transcends his position.

  62. He wrapped up. I have no problem with it and I’m a Patriots fan.

    It looks a lot worse in that picture than it did in the actual game.

  64. rexismybff says: Nov 4, 2011 9:16 PM

    You’ve got to love the Pats running all those routes across the middle, and then crying like babies when their receivers get blown up. Welker should stand tall and take his hits like a man instead of ducking under a strong safety’s armpit to try to avoid punishment.
    ________________________________________
    Don’t you get tired of making foolish & incorrect posts about the Pats everywhere on here? Funny you make all those whiny posts about the Pats then accuse the Pats fans of whining.WW has never complained a single time about any hit, dirty or not that he’s ever taken. He pops right back up and goes about his business. He took a stunner from Ryan Clark (that’s the dirty player on Pitt) one year and was completely out of it yet said it was a “good hit”. He’s one tough SOB. The only soft WR the Pats have had recently is long gone (Moss).

    Steellady, if you aren’t a troll you sure play one well here. You’re a disgrace to the two ladies I know of on here who are Steelers fans who are both pretty sensible.

  65. unbiasedfootballfan says:
    Nov 4, 2011 8:26 PM
    Steelernation- you are blineded buddy. Nobody is saying it was a helmet to helmet hit so i don’t understand why you keep saying the helmets didn’t hit? If pat chung gets a fine for a facemask then TP should have also gotten a fine. Are you saying there was no facemask there? Are you saying there was no blow to the head?
    ………………………………………………………………………………..um he did not grasp the face mask son..he had open hand on his helmet and he did not grasp and twist…Troys momentum of his body going one way and wes going another forced him to twist the way he did..so kiddo no i am not blinded i watched the game as i do every steeler game.and watched the replay several times therefor i did not see anything illegal about what troy did.and the officials and the league didnt and a lot of others didnt..so i am still waiting for meat heads like yourself state exactly what you really saw or what you think you saw that was illegal..

    GET OVER IT ALREADY .NEVER SEEN SO MANY HATERS DWELL LIKE YOU ALL….WOW

  67. What a crock of sh** that is.

    Sure, but had the WR been old “Whines Hard” of the Steelers and the DB had been somebody on the Pats, the Pittsburgh fans would be screaming bloody murder right now over there being no fine. But it’s the other way around so it’s fine.

    Typical…

  71. ?

    no fine is crazy…. Palu wrapped his arm around Welkers head coming from the opposite direction and tackled him by his HEAD… he used the head for leverage to throw welk to the ground.. if that doesn’t get a fine for reckless endangerment… I dunno what does

  72. pb12 says: Nov 5, 2011 6:33 AM

    If he had hit a QB this way – different story

    That DEPENDS what QB that is… Ben takes illegal LATE hits almost EVERY WEEK and noone gets a flag or fined…. Perhaps you should specify .

  74. hrdcorbengalsfan says: Nov 4, 2011 11:26 PM

    @jeffa43

    Can’t really think of one woman wanting to pretend she is a man when it comes to football! Catch up dude, football is no longer a man’s sport!

    LMAO HALF THE POSTS ON HERE ARE BY BOYS NOT MEN…

  75. pb12 says: Nov 5, 2011 6:33 AM

    If he had hit a QB this way – different story

    That DEPENDS what QB that is… Ben takes illegal LATE hits almost EVERY WEEK and noone gets a flag or fined…. Perhaps you should specify .

    —————————————–

    Correction – Ben and Sanchez both take numerous late hits EVERY SINGLE GAME and nearly no one ever gets flagged. But, if your name is Brady or Manning and you scream at the refs every time you get touched, then the yellow hankies come flying out.

  76. Vicious? Please. That was a beautiful hit except for the facemask, which warranted a flag. If he hadn’t grabbed the facemask, it would have been textbook. And what’s supposed to happen when you grab a facemask? The official is supposed to throw a flag and penalize your team 15 yards. This fine stuff is for the birds.

    I can’t believe how much we’re agreeing lately, but richm2256 is exactly right. Fining is like double jeopardy. Goodell is just trying to get attention and make Congress believe he’s keeping players safe. The only time he should be issuing fines is for extreme infractions, such as a fist fight or diving at a player’s knees or true headhunting–which is spearing a guy’s head with your helmet, medtxpack.

  77. Whoa!! I just saw a closeup of that photo and Troy isn’t grabbing the facemask! For once the league did the right thing! It’s a textbook tackle and Troy isn’t grabbing his head. MDS, you need to find the closeup shot.

  78. Polamalu was fined for using his cell phone in the JAX game, so no one can say he was never fined by the NFL.

  79. To put NFL fines in perspective, an average free agent aquisition will gain you yardage at a cost of about $10K/yard. So a 15-yard penalty is a far, far bigger punishment than any fine they hand out to a player.

    The tackle itself looked legal. That said, it might also be a bit of a makeup call for call-your-wife-on-the-cell-so-she-knows-she’s-not-married-to-a-vegetable-gate.

  80. The NFL is in love with the Steelers and WANT to see them win. They can’t win on their own merit. I don’t understand why people can’t admit this. I watch the Steelers every week and they get away with things all of the time. Their offensive line is in shambles and they are starting players that would be backups on any other team but they never get called for holding?!?!?!? The first play of the Steelers/Pats game last week had a Steeler’s olineman almost pull a Pat’s Dlineman’s mask off but the refs just turned their heads. I don’t know if it is an NFL mandate for the refs to help them win or if there are dirty refs doing it like the NBA. If anyone thinks that the league is going to let the Ravens win this week in Pittsburgh, they are mis-informed. There will definately be calls against the Ravens that will change the game. Always happens against Pittsburgh opponents. Watch, learn, and wake up people.

  81. jeb68 says:
    Nov 5, 2011 10:14 PM
    The NFL is in love with the Steelers and WANT to see them win. They can’t win on their own merit.
    ………………………………………………………………………….

    your whole post really?this is what you come up with?in every game with every team there will be missed calls.the refs cant see every play that we can.there are 22 players on the field and only what 5 refs?let me guess ravens fan?bungals fan?browns fan?or just someone who thinks he knows football but instead cant stand the fact that the steelers know how to win games.ugly or not they find a way to win.not every hold/face mask will be called cause it is impossible for the refs to catch everything.learn to understand the game man.or stop watching it.cause you are gonna make yourself sick being this obsessed with the Steelers.

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