Atlanta Falcons safety Chris Hope was fined $30,000 by the NFL this week for his helmet-to-helmet hit on New York Giants receiver Victor Cruz. Hope was flagged for unnecessary roughness on the play during the third quarter of Sunday's 34-0 Falcons win.
Hope had a feeling this was coming.
"Hopefully, I won't (be fined), but there are rules and regulations," Hope told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution this week. "I'm not a dirty player. It was just a part of the game. I got caught in a situation where I just made a play on the ball. It was a hit that I didn't think was head to head, but it's probably going to be a fine."
Any hit even around the head will be closely reviewed by the NFL. That's why Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison now is going for hits below the knees.
Falcons wide receiver Roddy White and Giants cornerback Corey Webster were fined $7,875 apiece for unnecessary roughness after their minor skirmish in the matchup.
Other fines from around the NFL announced Friday:
» Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Anquan Boldin was fined $15,750 for unnecessary roughness (late hit) against the Denver Broncos. Boldin's teammate, cornerback Cary Williams, also drew a $15,750 for a similar offense.
» Tennessee Titans safety Jordan Babineaux was docked $7,875 for unnecessary roughness after he grabbed an opponent's facemask against the New York Jets. As for Gang Green, defensive end Quinton Coples was fined $15,750 for unnecessary roughness after he struck Titans quarterback Jake Locker with a helmet-to-helmet hit.
» The hits against Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck just keep on coming. This week, the NFL fined Houston Texans defensive end Antonio Smith $15,750 for unnecessary roughness after he rocked the rookie signal-caller with a helmet-to-helmet hit. A total of $129,000 in fines have been issued to players who have illegally hit Luck, The Indianapolis Star's Mike Chappell points out.
» Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall was hit with a $5,250 fine after he threw a football into the stands, which presents the potential for crowd-control issues. The Bears also lost to their NFC North rivals, the Green Bay Packers.
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» San Francisco 49ers safety Dashon Goldson, who's no stranger to fines, drew a $21,000 fine for unnecesary roughness against the New England Patriots.
» Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware is a terror for quarterbacks, but sometimes his motor gets the best of him. The pass-rushing fiend was docked $15,750 for roughing the passer on a hit against Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
Follow Kareem Copeland on Twitter @kareemcopeland.
