NEW YORK -- Keeping quiet has cost Randy Moss $25,000.
The NFL fined the Minnesota Vikings' star wide receiver on Friday for failing to cooperate with the news media. Players' contracts specify they must make themselves available to the media at specific times each week. Moss last spoke to the media on Oct. 13, then declined interviews after a win over Dallas on Oct. 17, throughout last week leading up to a loss at Green Bay, and after the defeat.
Moss also declined to be available this week despite being in high demand because the Vikings visit New England, for whom Moss played the past three seasons.
The Patriots traded him to Minnesota earlier this month.
Teammate tackle Phil Loadholt was fined $20,000 for a facemask against Green Bay linebacker Clay Matthews last Sunday night. Loadholt drew a 15-yard penalty.
On Sept. 17, Loadholt was docked $10,000 for twice grabbing a Saints player's face mask.
Earlier this week, Minnesota coach Brad Childress was fined $35,000 for criticism of league officiating. Childress was hit "for violating long-standing league policies that prohibit public criticism of officiating and the disclosure of confidential conversations with the head of the NFL officiating department."
Also Friday, Cardinals defensive tackle Darnell Dockett was fined $15,000 for a late hit on Seahawks receiver Mike Williams, which also drew a penalty in the fourth quarter.
Redskins DT Albert Haynesworth was fined $7,500 for striking Bears offensive lineman J'Marcus Webb away from the play during teammate DeAngelo Hall's 92-yard touchdown run with an interception.
The total fines of $102,500 were far less than those handed out last week, when the league announced its crackdown on illegal hits would include suspensions. Last week, 15 players were fined a total of $262,500.
Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press
