Darren Woodson gets fined $75,000

NFL fines Cowboys S Woodson $75,000
October 30, 2002

NEW YORK (Ticker) - Dallas Cowboys safety Darren Woodson was fined $75,000 by the NFL on Wednesday for a devastating hit on Seattle Seahawks receiver Darrell Jackson.

In the fourth quarter of Seattle's 17-14 win Sunday, Woodson delivered a helmet-to-helmet hit on Jackson, who suffered a concussion and later had a seizure in the locker room.

Woodson was called for unnecessary roughness and the 15-yard penalty helped the drive that resulted in Rian Lindell kicking a game-winning 20-yard field goal with 25 seconds remaining.

NFL director of football operations Gene Washington issued the fine and noted that another helmet-to-helmet hit by Woodson likely would result in a suspension and/or additional discipline.

Dallas (3-5) visits the Detroit Lions on Sunday.

On Tuesday, the NFL rejected the appeal of San Diego Chargers strong safety Rodney Harrison, who will serve a one-game suspension for a second illegal hit this season.

 

i just read that, too.

that's too high. woodson isnt' a dirty player.

i guess it sends a message though.

think it would have been less if jackson hadn't had a seizure?

 

Definitely. Like you said, Woodson's not like Rodney Harrison. He's a hitter, but not a cheap shot artist--at least not that I know of anyway.

But this helmet-to-helmet crap has got to go, or I honestly believe someone's going to get killed right there on the field. These guys are hitting way too hard, with too much strength, speed, and size and the human body can only take so much.

I read an article almost 20 years ago that said the force exerted when two NFL players collide is enough to move a 33 ton object one inch. Imagine how much harder they hit today.

A seizure is no laughing matter. It could be an indication of permanent brain damage. Fred might be better equipped to handle that assertion, but I believe it's possible.

The thing that pisses me off is that some of the vets (like Rodney Harrison) are crying "That's the way I was taught. I can't change the way I play." I say that is utter and complete bull. If you were taught a behavior or technique, you can be taught another one. If the coaches are still teaching helmet-to-helmet, the league ought to ban them outright. And BTW, I include cut blocking in that sentiment too.

 

Here's what I was talking about Larry...

Holmgren: Jackson's seizure more serious than thought
By TIM KORTE
AP Sports Writer
October 30, 2002


KIRKLAND, Wash. (AP) -- Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren indicated Wednesday that the seizure Darrell Jackson had during last Sunday's game in Dallas was more serious than initially thought.

During his weekly news conference, Holmgren said the wide receiver "almost died'' because of the seizure.

A team spokesman later clarified the remark, saying Jackson never was in immediate danger of dying because his heart was beating and he continued to breathe. The spokesman said Holmgren meant to convey that Jackson could have died.

The coach's earlier comments, however, showed how seriously the team took the seizure.

"The simple thing of the matter is Darrell almost died,'' Holmgren said. "That's the deal. Is anything worth that? Let's look at the potential consequences of this thing.''

Holmgren said medical personnel struggled to keep Jackson's airway open during a chaotic 40 minutes. The locker room was cleared of reporters until Jackson was loaded onto a waiting ambulance and taken to a hospital.

"I'm telling you, it was serious,'' he said. "Once they got things under control a little bit, we had a heck of a time strapping him down to the board to get him onto the ambulance. He was like the Incredible Hulk.''

The issue came up after Holmgren described giving Jackson a hug when he saw the receiver at Seahawks headquarters Wednesday morning.

"I've never been so happy to see a player on a Wednesday morning,'' Holmgren said. "Normally, I'm a little grumpy.''

The NFL fined Cowboys safety Darren Woodson $75,000 on Wednesday for an illegal hit on Jackson during the game. Holmgren used to be a member of the competition committee that drafted the rules on such hits.

Holmgren said football is a tough game, and contact is part of it. But he said coaches should emphasize the proper way for players to hit and tackle so that neither the receiver nor the tackler gets injured.

"Everyone take a step back and understand football is a tough game,'' he said. "It's a game for men. (Being) macho and being tough is part of this business. No one, no one wants to see anyone lose their life out there.''

Jackson is undergoing more tests related to the seizure and a concussion. He won't play Sunday when the Washington Redskins visit. Holmgren expects Jackson to play again, but couldn't say when.

 

This fine is TOTAL BS! It's reactionary CRAP!
If you look at the replays you'll see that the initial contact is made on the shoulder.
These are football players, not the boys in the plastic bubble.
FA hasn't completely ruined FB, although it's made greed more of an issue...HOWEVER, if they keep making stupid rules and "PROTECTING" players, WTF!
Almost half the hits that make me jump up and say "OH, YEAH! Get up from that." draw a fine. It's a contact sport...not chess!

 

Agreed with McFly. The initial contact was on the shoulder. I didn't see anything dirty or "intending to harm". Woodson isn't Jack Tatum or George Atkinson - nor is Rodney Harrison, or Coop.

It is a physical game - and I think my favorite MLB of all time, the toothless wonder Lambert, talked about putting a dress on QBs? Guess that apparel should be placed on anyone on the offense.

 

I think that's too much. It's also telling that guys like Ronnie Lott and Steve Atwater would have been railed out of football but guys like Leon Lett got a chance above and beyond the three strike drug rule.

 

Oh, I forgot you can't hit anyone in the NFL anymore. Why not just puts some hankys on em and call it the National FlagFootball League. Absolute Bullshit.

 

I love hard hits as much as any football fan. I loved to dish 'em out during my time, too.

Everyone's entitled to their own opinion, and here's mine: nobody is going to sell me on the argument that if you take headhunting out of the game it becomes a pansy sport like baseball. The helmet only covers about 15% of a players body. It's an intentional target. Therefore, it can also be intentionally avoided.

I know that accidents happen. At that speed, it's unavoidable. But I've heard way too many players saying, "that's the way I was taught to play"--not "I didn't mean to hit him like that. It was an accident."

I'm all for burying a shoulder pad into a QB's ribs and making him piss blood for a couple of days. You can recover from that and keep going the next week. Brain damage is a different story. I've seen it firsthand. And I'd just a soon not see the NFL stars of today all wind up like friggin' Muhammad Ali, just because a bunch of fans got their rocks off watching someone get their bell rung.

(Hmm. Maybe I should've posted this in R & R...)

 

Dawkins fined $50,000 for hit on Hilliard

October 31, 2002


NEW YORK (AP) -- Philadelphia Eagles safety Brian Dawkins was fined $50,000 Thursday for a hit that ended the season for New York Giants receiver Ike Hilliard.

The play came in the third quarter of Philadelphia's 17-3 win Monday night. After a pass went over Hilliard's head, Dawkins leveled him with a hit to the chest, separating the receiver's shoulder.

The league has re-emphasized its policy this week against helmet-to-helmet and other dangerous hits.

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Okay, now this is ridiculous. I didn't see the hit, so I don't know if Dawkins took a cheap shot at Hilliard or not, but if it was clean, there's no way the league should be able to fine Dawkins for separating Ike's shoulder. That kind of stuff has to be expected in this game. And that's a price you pay for going over the middle on a Pro Bowl caliber safety. Just ask Antonio Freeman...