Falcons' Robinson fined $40,000
The Philadelphia Daily News - Eagletarian
Falcons' Robinson fined $40,000
Daily News staff
From the Associated Press: Falcons cornerback Dunta Robinson will pay for his flagrant hit on the Eagles’ Jeremy Maclin. He won’t be suspended.
The NFL on Monday fined the Falcons cornerback $40,000 for the hit in which he led with his helmet and crashed into Maclin in the third quarter of Atlanta’s 35-31 win over the Eagles on Sunday night. Robinson was penalized 15 yards for unnecessary roughness.
The league did not suspend Robinson although it has said hits like the one he put on Maclin could lead to such action. Robinson is a repeat offender, having being fined $25,000 last year for a similar hit on the Eagles’ DeSean Jackson that left both players with concussions.
In a letter sent to Robinson, NFL vice president of football operations Merton Hanks noted that “future offenses will result in an escalation of fines up to and including suspension.”
Commissioner Roger Goodell was advised of the decision, and said “we felt this was the appropriate discipline.”
Asked if this was an example of the hits the NFL is trying to get out of the game, Goodell said, “There’s no such thing as a perfect example. There are individual elements of each hit. We’re trying to identify the techniques that will make our game safer.”
The league said Robinson violated Rule 12, Section 2, Article 9 (a) (2) of the playing rules, which states: “It is a foul if a player initiates unnecessary contact against a player who is in a defenseless posture.”
The rule notes that players in a defenseless posture include “a receiver attempting to catch a pass; or who has completed a catch and has not had time to protect himself or has not clearly become a runner.”
On the play with 6:12 left in the third quarter, the league said Robinson lowered his head and made forcible contact to the head and neck area of Maclin, who still made the catch. He was slow to leave the field but returned to the game.
Robinson can appeal to former NFL coaches Art Shell and Ted Cottrell, who are paid by the league and the NFL Players Association to handle those cases. Their appeal must be heard by the second Tuesday following notification of the discipline.
Falcons coach Mike Smith said after the game he thought it was a legal hit and “that’s the way we teach it.”
“My opinion didn’t change,” he said Monday before the NFL made its ruling.
The Eagles should demand a suspension. Robinson went in helmet first aiming for Macklin's head. He did the same to DJax last year. Robinson's arms were at his side he was making no attempt to break up the catch or to tackle the receiver. His sole intent was to make helmet to helmet contact. IF he hurts someone else after this the NFL has opened itself up to major liability to the injured player. They have clear and notrious notice, repeated replays on national tv, of Robinson's clear intent to injure.
The only thing I am more angry about is that the Eagles did nothing to retaliate against Robinson!— bluebellious- Roger "BURN THE TAPES" Goodell won't suspend him because he is looking out for the bottom line.— DanLeone
- Roger "BURN THE TAPES" Goodell won't suspend him because he is looking out for the bottom line.— DanLeone
- taxman you are a buffoon. clearly you are so biased in favor of your pathetic cheap shot taking excuse of a football team you can't even notice that it was the DEFINITION of an illegal hit - a rule that was CREATED BECAUSE OF THAT SCUMBAG ROBINSON LAST YEAR. Let me break that down further for you b/c you're obviously mentally challenged - THAT MEANS ROBINSON IS A REPEAT OFFENDER. REPEAT OFFENDER means HE DID IT BEFORE & DIDNT LEARN. If you can't spot intent to injure (as Robinson could VERY easily have aimed for Maclin's chest, wrapped him up & made the tackle), then you're even dumber than I thought. Robinson left his feet & launched himself right at Maclin's head. If that doesn't deserve a suspension, nothing does. I only wish he could launch himself at YOUR head b/c then we wouldn't have to listen to your pathetic misguided ramblings. Go back to Atlanta you giant loser & leave us alone.— thomaspfoolery
- Runyan would have done something about it.— vipers53
- What an absolute joke. A slap on the wrist like this is obviously incentive for players like Robinson to keep taking cheap shots on other players until they maim or paralyze someone.— fentonhardy
- The NFL policy should be repeat offenders are suspended with a fine. Until they start missing games, the fines will have no effect on their behavior.— pogiepop
- The NFL rule should be: 1st offense a big fine, i.e., like half a games pay. 2nd Offense: 1 year suspension including the playoffs. Strike 3: You're out of the NFL. El Finis! I hope he doesn't injure or kill someone but if he does I hope Goodell and the NFL get their collective asses sued for a 8 or 9 figure verdict.— bluebellious
- If Goodell had balls, he would fine the **cking Atlanta coach. But if he had balls, he wouldn't be Goodell but someone else instead.— Claudio Vernight
- Simple solution: eject the player. Just like a red card in soccer or pitcher throwing at someone's head purposively in baseball. The fines do not work & are often reduced.— Ed3
- Interesting. He hits DJax last season, gets fined 50K, appeals it and get it reduced to 25K. Second time around the fine is 40K. Anybody else see anything strange here? Backroom politics, seems to happen everywhere.— Craig321
- What a joke. This guy should have been suspended without pay for two games + fine.— petergou
- NFL's decision shows how much they REALLY do not care about reducing concussions. Dunta Robinson is a punk cheap shot artist! He SHOULD HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED!— MooseBreathMints
- Perhaps the Falcons' head coach should also be fined; why in the world would they teach Robinson to hit like that? He wasn't even trying to tackle him; he was too lazy so he just cheap-shotted Maclin. Babin also got a cheap shot in last night, but not as bad as Robinson.— 76erfn
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