It’s becoming increasingly difficult for defenders in the NFL to do their jobs without being fined.
In last Sunday’s game between the Vikings and Patriots, quarterback Brett Favre was hit hard, yet cleanly, by Patriots defensive lineman Myron Pryor that resulted in a messy laceration to the Hall of Famer’s chin.
The end result? Favre needed to be helped to the locker room and later received multiple stitches. For Pryor, that bloody wound has cost him $7,500, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Player safety should absolutely be a cause for concern, and the NFL has a right to protect the quarterback’s, but that hit was as clean as can be. As you can see in the video above, Pryor initially made contact with Favre’s chest, but the force caused his helmet to slide up to the chin region, splitting it wide open.
Though it’s been proven that commissioner Roger Goodell isn’t afraid to hand out hefty fines at a moment’s notice, offensive players are going to soon have a clear advantage over defense’s if the fines continue to be as prevalent.
