Ravens coach fined for hitting referee

BALTIMORE, Sept. 21 (UPI) -- Baltimore Ravens Coach John Harbaugh was slapped with a $15,000 fine for making contact with a referee, an NFL spokesman said Tuesday.

The league said the fine was levied on Harbaugh for making impermissible verbal and physical contact with an official during the Ravens' 15-10 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday, The Baltimore Sun reported.

Harbaugh verbally harangued line judge Ron Marinucci and hit him in the chest while trying to demonstrate why a hit from Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs on Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer was within the legal "strike zone."

The Ravens told the newspaper Harbaugh would address the fine Wednesday.

On Monday, he told reporters he may have went too far in making contact with Marinucci. "I was a little animated in describing the strike zone, and I think he understood the emotions of it," the coach said.