NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell slapped Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison with yet another fine on Tuesday. For those not keeping score that increases Harrison’s total to $125,000 this season for tackles considered outside of the boundaries of current rules in the NFL.

With his largest fine totaling $75,000 earlier this year, this latest $25,000 punishment was for a tackle on Buffalo Bills QB, Ryan Fitzpatrick, during Sunday’s game that was won by the Steelers in overtime. According to the NFL offices, Fitzpatrick was a defenseless player when he was struck by Harrison. This hit qualified for a 15-yard penalty on the field for roughing the passer, but it isn’t necessary for him to have his bank account flagged yet again.

Although these fines sound life-changing, the Steelers’ salary chart reveals that Harrison is earning more than $13 million this 2010 season.

NFL shouldn’t fine Steelers for latest rules infraction

In the post game presser, when asked about the hit, Harrison told the media:

“I hit him the same way I did the quarterback from Oakland [Jason Campbell] and I got the same flag but I didn’t get a fine.… I’m expecting the same thing on this.”

How wrong was he?

At the rate this is going, the 6-ft, 242 pound linebacker who has always been known as a hard hitter may have to incorporate video editing techniques to determine when he has justified another fine.

The lack of outrage in the press after this latest fine announcement may mean the recent actions of the NFL punishment machine is starting to take its toll. When players believe they are powerless to effect change, does the league think it is better off? Being familiar with Harrison’s personality and his strong support by his head coach and fellow players, it might just produce the opposite of a desired result. If Harrison is convinced he can’t control how his actions are perceived by the league then it won’t take much to convince him to let his freak flag fly.

And what happens when two players rip each other’s helmets off and stand toe-to-toe throwing haymakers in the middle of a televised Sunday afternoon game then get slapped on the wrist with a $25,000 fine and no suspension? Then the same afternoon another player accidentally targets his helmet a little higher than the allowed area and gets fined more than the two did for fighting?

It’s in the best interest of the defenseless players the league says it must protect, to try to gain some support from James Harrison. Perhaps in the process, it might realize that the minuscule differences between one helmet angle and the other aren’t helping the situation at all.

Used with permission of the author.

Paula Duffy is a national sports columnist for Examiner.com and the Huffington Post and regularly comments on sports/legal matters for radio affiliates of ESPN and Fox Sports. She founded the sports information site, Incidental Contact, is the author of a line of audio books designed for sports novices and in her spare time practices law in Los Angeles. 

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