Seahawks safety Earl Thomas fined for hit on Tannehill
RENTON, Wash. (AP) - Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas says he has been fined by the NFL for his roughing the passer penalty against Miami quarterback Ryan Tannehill last week.
Thomas first tweeted about the fine, then confirmed it during the open locker room Wednesday. Thomas indicated in his tweet that he was fined $15,000.
Thomas' play became a huge turning point in the Dolphins' rally for a 24-21 win. Thomas came rushing at Tannehill and leapt in the air trying to knock down the pass, coming down and hitting Tannehill. The penalty wiped out a Seattle interception in the end zone and Miami scored on the next play to tie the game at 14-14 early in the fourth quarter.
Asked about the fine, Thomas said, "it's the NFL. That's all I've got to say about it."
Thomas first tweeted about the fine, then confirmed it during the open locker room Wednesday. Thomas indicated in his tweet that he was fined $15,000.
Thomas' play became a huge turning point in the Dolphins' rally for a 24-21 win. Thomas came rushing at Tannehill and leapt in the air trying to knock down the pass, coming down and hitting Tannehill. The penalty wiped out a Seattle interception in the end zone and Miami scored on the next play to tie the game at 14-14 early in the fourth quarter.
Asked about the fine, Thomas said, "it's the NFL. That's all I've got to say about it."
If anything the fine should have been like $5 to reflect how stupid the call was.
His pressure is what caused the interception!!! I thought the league would look at this and talk to the refs about a horrible call as he was already in the air not add on a fine !!! This bs needs to stop...
I call BS on the NFL and it's fines. They can say whatever they want and fine whatever they want. That's just wrong. Â
Where does all of this "Fine" money go?? Goodell's pocket ?
One more thing!
If the NFL wants to protect the QB so much, why do they allow the QB to dress in pads and a helmet? Â I say, the QB should suit up in a 3 piece suit. Â That way, we'd all know how "special" they really are.
$15K for that? Â What's next, $10,000 fines for legal hits? Â $7500 fines for sacking a QB? Â $5000 fines for scoring a TD? Â $50,000 fines for daring to question the almighty Lord Roger?
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The NFL is losing me.  Roger and his gang of ivory tower bureaucrats need to get fired by the owners so the NFL, its teams, players, and fans can go back to enjoying football the way it was meant to be enjoyed. Â
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This is utter nonsense. Â Earl barely touched the Dolphin's precious rookie!
Maybe the NFL thinks the players should also have wings?
How does one change their motion in mid air to avoid a collision?
Another step in the pussification of the NFLÂ I dread what it will be like in another ten years.
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Maybe it's a good thing we don't have rugby here. All these primadonnas wouldn't have jobs.
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In other news the NFL fined the sprinklers 20,000.
30year SH STH....another terrible call &Â Thomas is not deserving of a penalty nor fine....Give us back the interception and yet we have another WIN...
I want the replacement officials back. At least they were not against the Seahawks like the union officials.
When can we expect a fine against the Miami Dolphins for the missed holding calls?
What a complete travesty! Â Not only was it NOT a hit worthy of a penalty, it should not cost Thomas $15K. Â This league is losing credibility EVERY TIME they make one of these totally ridiculous calls! Â They will lose their audience if they keep this up. Â People will go watch couples figure skating if they want to see a bunch of people prancing around not trying to hurt each other.
What an absolute abomination by Roger Goodell and the NFFL (National Flag Football League). Â
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It has become exponentially more difficult to watch the sport any more. Â With rising ticket prices and fines for apparently looking at the quarterbacks wrong these days, it's become a serious problem that doesn't favor a good outcome. Â I am all for protecting the players and the continued development of technology that helps reduce and minimize serious player injury, but there has got to be a better policing of fines than we are currently witnessing.
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Brutal, vicious helmet-to-helmet hits are going to be flagged and fined every time. Â I get that. Â I'm fine with that. Â But in these cases where there was not only no malicious intent NOR any viable, vicious physical contact with the quarterback's head (apparently barely grazing the helmet of the QB with your forearm in mid-air as you are trying to avoid contact is grounds for a $15,000 fine), to be fined is an outrageous misuse of current player paradigm of protection.
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Quit painting these non-event plays with the same brush as the obvious brutal plays that deserve fines Goodell or you WILL start to see fans leave the game in droves.
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SICKENING. Â
I don't remember that even being helmet to helmet - wasn't it just his forearm? It's acceptable as an obsessively ticky-tack penalty, I guess, but a fine? Come on, man.
The announcers had initially said that it was helmut to helmut but corrected themselves later. Thomas was in the air, trying to block the pass. He never moved his forearm as you would in trying to hit someone. I think that it would be more accurate to say that his forearm "bumped" the quarterback's helmut.
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Once again, the zebras manage to affect the outcome of a game.
WOW. What a joke he hardly touched him.
 @godawgs Agreed he was in the air well before the pass and made every attempt he could to avoid the contact.