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Middle linebacker Ray Lewis said that he was fined by the NFL for a hit in the Ravens’ 23-20 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday.
Lewis made helmet-to-helmet contact while tackling Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward in the second quarter. Ward, who dropped the ball on the play, did not return to the game because of concussion-like symptoms. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Ward’s injury was minor.
"I heard from the league, and they fined me whatever they were going to fine me, but I’ll definitely call in [appeal]," Lewis said today. "I think the thing is, you definitely respect them trying to protect players’ safety, but at the same time, it won’t change the way I play in this league, no matter what the fine is. You just can’t stop playing defense the way this defense has always played. If the receiver has the ball, it’s your job to disengage him from the ball. You never want to hurt anybody. I’ve been in this business too long, and the last thing you want to do is hurt anyone. But I just think that once you start getting into these fines – and I don’t even know how they come up with these numbers – just get done with it and whatever it is. Like I said, I’ll talk to the league and move on from there.” Asked if he had reached out to Ward since Sunday’s win, Lewis said, “No. Talk to Hines Ward about what? I mean, you don’t have conversations after hits. You just keep moving.”
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that Steelers safety Ryan Clark was fined $40,000 after he made helmet-to-helmet contact with Ravens tight end Ed Dickson late in the second quarter. Clark led with his shoulder, but his helmet also made contact with Dickson’s. He was given a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty, which set up Billy Cundiff’s 51-yard field goal as time expired in the first half.
James Harrison, the Steelers frequently-fined linebacker, is also expected to hear from the NFL after he speared Ray Rice while the running back was already on the ground in the third quarter.
