Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians fined $50K for hitting player

Jan. 19 (UPI) -- The NFL on Wednesday fined Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians $50,000 for striking Bucs safety Andrew Adams in the helmet during Sunday's NFC wild-card game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Arians said he was attempting to move Adams, who was trying to pull a player out of a pile after Jalen Reagor's muffed punt, which could have drawn a penalty flag. Arians can be seen slapping Adams' helmet with an open hand and then elbowing him.

Adams wasn't penalized on the play.

"I'll appeal it," Arians told reporters Wednesday. "It ain't got nothing to do with the game, so we're good."

ESPN reported that league officials informed Arians that he displayed "conduct directed towards your players that fell below standards expected of an NFL head coach."

Arians was asked Monday whether he regretted hitting Adams, who appeared to have already disengaged from the pile before Arians made physical contact with him.

"No. I've seen enough dumb," Arians said. "You can't pull guys out of a pile. We just got a big play, great field position, and he's trying to pull a guy out of a pile. I was trying to knock him off that guy so he didn't get a penalty."

The Buccaneers earned a 31-15 win over the Eagles to advance to the divisional round. Tampa Bay is scheduled to host the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium.