Babin blasts league for $15,000 fine
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Eagles
Babin blasts league for $15,000 fine
Jeff McLane, Inquirer Staff Writer
Jason Babin was fined $15,000 for his hit on 49ers quarterback Alex Smith that drew a personal foul penalty for roughing the passer on Sunday.
Babin said he was fined by the NFL because he hit Smith in the neck area with his helmet.
"It's not like it was a late hit, it's not like it was a malicious hit," Babin said Thursday. "The funny part was on that play Trent Cole was high-lowed ... and you can tell that [the 49ers] game planned it. So how are they going to fine me when you see a coach and players game plan to high-low arguably our best pass rusher on our team? That's a little sickening."
Babin said that a running back undercut Cole while a lineman blocked him high at the same time. Cole injured his calf in the 49ers game but not on that play.
Earlier Thursday Babin tweeted the following: "Attn: Guy at the NFL that decides on who and how much players get fined. Stop being a puppet, if you want to protect QBs, get better linemen."
"That was just meant to be sarcastic," Babin said of the tweet. "But my main point was the person that decides the fines -- I'm assuming they're supposed to be unbiased and make decisions for themselves according to the rules and regulations -- not let outside influences affect their decision-making. You know what they say, 'One man with courage is a
majority.'"
No word yet on whether Babin, who leads the NFL with seven sacks, will be fined for speaking out on the league's handling of illegal hits. Babin, signed by the Eagles to a five-year, $28 million contract in July, said that he was fined several times last season with the Titans when he recorded a career-high 12.5 sacks.
"I don't think they like the way I play at all," Babin said of the NFL. "I'm pretty sure they get nervous every time because they know I'm throwing and someone gets hurt. But that's what got me paid, that's what got me where I am today. I'm not going to change."
Babin also criticized how the fines are doled out.
"Oh, I'll call that one 15, I'll call that 40," he said. "There's no blueprint, there's no grid system to say, 'OK, this is how it works, let's plug it in.'"
The NFL has made a concerted effort over the last few seasons to cut down on defensive players leading with their helmets and to further protect quarterbacks. Two games ago, Michael Vick complained that he was not receiving calls that other quarterbacks around the league were.
After four games none of the hits on Vick have drawn a fine from the league.
"That's crazy to me," Babin said. "If I get fined for that we should have plenty thrown for Mike."
Babin said he planned to appeal the fine.
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-- Juan Castillo said that he had Nnamdi Asomugha doing too much too early and that he would scale back on the cornerback's package this week against the Bills. "He's human," the Eagles defensive coordinator said of the Eagles' prized free agent acquisition.
take it out on Buffalo— sore richard- Stop the run, Jason. No one cares about your fine. That's all.— Phillip?
- Stop the run, Jason. No one cares about your fine. That's all.— Phillip?
- Same hit the Giants did on vick and it was late, but no flag no penalty, what does that tell you, Metin Hanks needs to be fired.— Blessed8251
- Same hit the Giants did on vick and it was late, but no flag no penalty, what does that tell you, Metin Hanks needs to be fired.— Blessed8251
- Suck it up buttercup and move on to the next game. Hit the Buffalo QB the same way. Time for yall to grit your teeth and take it out on the other team.— PhillyFanSouth
- Less talk, more defense agint the run would be helpful....and no more off sides....for cryiing out loud you are looking at the ball...duh— nuggett
- At least Babin is playing hard, where is the rest of the Defense!!
— donne8008 - So lets get this straight, castillo is giving Nnamdi too much, so he will scale the package back? How about playing man to man chump, let the man do what you got him to do. The best coaches make systems to utilize their players talents, not try and fit square pegs in round holes!!!!
— Bigkahuna3131 - So now he will get fined for the fine....Goodell's father was a politician and he's running the league like it's the National Federal League... Ger rid of Rodger and his painted on suits!! Pretty soon there will be personal fouls for tackling....— elfman
- The rest of the defensive players ought to chip in and pay this fine...Babin is the only defensive player who bothers to show up and bust his tail every week.— kelprod2
- Like to see you call this man a buttercup within 100 feet of him in real life you pigeon-chest fairy.— AbeVigoda
- How was Babin not good enough to stay with the Eagles on his first tour is a major concern of mines. Obviously someone making the decisions on talent alone the Defensive line doesn't know what the hell they're doing.
Babin gets' cut from Phil, while Patterson, Dixon, Laws and other stiffs make the team.— Dexter 
At the time Babin was released from the Eagles earlier in his career we had other DE's and you can't keep them all so Babin was the one they decided to let go to get within the 53 man roster. Sometimes good young player are let go.- turning into the NFFL...national flag football league....pretty soon a qb sack will be a penalty....and all for the rating (real football fans like defensive battles, we dont need a shootem out game all day everyday).— psualum
