NEW YORK, Oct. 14 (UPI) -- Tampa Bay Bucs defensive tackle Warren Sapp was fined $50,000 and threatened with suspension by the NFL Tuesday for repeated on-field abuse toward officials.
The action came two days after Sapp bumped an official while taking the field before a game against the Washington Redskins.
"There was absolutely no need for you to do so," NFL Director of Game Operations Petr Hadhazy wrote in a letter to Sapp. "To the contrary, it is apparent that you deliberately made contact with the official."
Hadhazy noted the Buccaneers "had been strongly advised" to refrain from disrupting pregame warmups following inflammatory remarks by Sapp and Redskins linebacker LaVar Arrington.
Hadhazy also cited Sapp's use of "excessively abusive language" with officials after they warned him not to disrupt warmups prior to a Monday night loss to Indianapolis on Oct. 6.
In a Sept. 14 loss to Carolina, Sapp was penalized for verbal abuse of an official.
