NEW YORK, Oct. 19 (UPI) -- The NFL fined three players Tuesday in the wake of a vow to start clamping down on dangerous hits to the head.
NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Ray Anderson announced that Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison was fined $75,000 and New England Patriots safety Brandon Meriweather and Atlanta Falcons cornerback Dunta Robinson were levied $50,000 apiece.
The fines came after a weekend of games in which several players suffered concussions and neck injuries from helmet-to-helmit hits, producing alarm that the dangerous hits were getting out of control.
Harrison was fined for a jarring hit on Cleveland Browns wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi, while Meriweather was cited for leveling a helmet-to-helmet hit on Baltimore Ravens tight end Todd Heap during the Patriots' overtime victory Sunday.
"That in our view is something that was flagrant, it was egregious," Anderson told ESPN Radio of Meriweather's hit. "And effective immediately, that's going to be looked at a very aggressive level, which could include suspension without pay."
