NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The NFL has fined Titans safety Donnie Nickey $2,500 for coming in contact with referee Bill Leavy during Tennessee's loss at San Diego on Sunday.
Nickey confirmed the fine Wednesday. He said he didn't realize Leavy was so close to him. Nickey said he was upset at how Chargers center Scott Mruczkowski had bodyslammed him, then pushed his head down at the end of a punt. Nickey said he came up waving his arm, not caring if he drew a flag.
But Nickey hit Leavy, and the referee flagged him immediately. Nickey was ejected for the first time in his eight-year NFL career.
Nickey said he didn't hit Leavy too hard and thinks the fine would have been worse if he had a closed fist.
Ray Anderson, the NFL's executive vice president of football operations, was at the game Sunday.
Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press