Baltimore Ravens safety Earl Thomas was fined more than $21,000 for the hit on Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph during last week’s game that left Rudolph with a concussion.
The fine was reported by ESPN. Levied fines typically are not confirmed until the Saturday following a week’s games. The collectively bargained fine schedule for the league mandates a $21,056 fine for a first offense of roughing the passer. That is what Thomas was penalized for during the game. The league could have considered a $28,075 fine for “Impermissible Use of the Helmet.”
Steelers QB Mason Rudolph left the game after a hit from Ravens S Earl Thomas. @DeanBlandino explains why Thomas wasn't ejected but could face further discipline. pic.twitter.com/eKLGGRSSnO
— CaleMedia (@calemediacom) October 7, 2019
Officials did not appear to throw a flag on the play until after Rudolph had lied on the turf unconscious.
Thomas told ESPN he reached out and tried to speak with Rudolph this week.
“I wanted to him to know that I didn’t do it on purpose,” Thomas said, according to ESPN. “That’s all I wanted him to know.”
Earl Thomas tells me he shot Mason Rudolph a text regarding the hit last week but didn’t get a reply... he adds “if he sees this, know it wasn’t intentional” pic.twitter.com/2tCfPSWOY4
— Jordan Giorgio (@jordangiorgio) October 10, 2019
Rudolph spent the week in the NFL’s concussion protocol and was limited in practice. He was to be evaluated by an independent neurologist Saturday who could have cleared him to play Sunday in a game at the Los Angeles Chargers.
But the Steelers, because of the extra practice reps that undrafted rookie Devlin Hodges got this week, ruled Rudolph out for Sunday’s game.
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