In Monday night’s game between the Steelers and Chargers, the officials didn’t only miss 18 seconds coming off the clock. The officials also missed Pittsburgh safety Mike Mitchell taking a shot at San Diego tight end Antonio Gates away from the play, as a Philip Rivers pass sailed toward another area of the field.
The league office didn’t miss it. Mitchell has been fined $8,681 for unnecessarily striking Gates.
The oddly-specific amount comes from negotiations between the NFL and NFL Players Association regarding the maximum amounts under the annual fine schedule.
The extra contact didn’t keep Gates from scoring a pair of touchdowns in his return from a four-game PED suspension.