Fines In The NFL Are Getting Ridiculous

The fines in the NFL are starting to get ridiculous. I agree with the fines that are given to

players for cheap shots, late hits or misconduct in a game.

However, I do not agree with many of the fines given to players for some of the touchdown celebrations.

Players such as Wide Receiver Terrell Owens of The Cowboys and Wide Receiver Chad Johnson of The Bengals should not be fined for what they are doing after they score. NFL is looking for ratings right? I bet more people will tune into a game involving T.O. or Johnson than a game on another channel.

These two are just having some fun after getting into the end zone. They are putting on a show for fans that come to the games who want to see things like what they do.

This year T.O. was fined $7,500 for using the football and goalpost as props to make fun of Bill “Bellicheat” after he scored a touchdown against Miami. The celebration was not even performed against New England and he was still fined.

I find this to be absurd. The league should not be concerned with touchdown celebrations and if they want to throw their authority around the league, then I suggest stronger fines for misconduct.

Linebacker Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots was fined $5,000 this year for going after a players’ knees after a play was ruled dead.

Now, T.O. was fined $2,500 more than Vrabel and all T.O. was doing was showing off after a touchdown. Vrabel took a shot at someone’s knees after a play was ruled dead. Taking a shot at someone’s knees could end that person’s career.

Do we not see a problem here? Are touchdown celebrations more of a concern than players’ health in the NFL?

Maybe the league just hates out-spoken players like T.O. or Chad Johnson so much that they are singled-out.

This is not the only example of how the fines in the NFL are ridiculous.

During last year’s media week for the Super Bowl Chicago Bear linebacker Brian Urlacher was fined $100,000 for wearing a hat from a non-authorized sponsor.

Yet, this year defensive tackle Vince Wolfork of the New England Patriots was fined $12,000 for taking a shot at Buffalo Bills’ Quarterback J.P. Losman’s knees. And San Diego Charger’s cornerback Drayton Florence was fined $15,000 for a hard hit on Houston Texans’ quarterback Matt Schaub during an interception return.

Maybe Wolfork’s fine was $82,000 less than Urlacher’s because Wilfork apologized and said it was not intentional.

I do not know why these things occur. My guess would be frustration or showing off, but they are happening and they are being slapped on the wrist compared to touchdown celebration fines and uniform violations.

I am not going to try and tell the NFL how to do their jobs, but I am going to suggest to them to reevaluate how they fine people in the NFL.