NFL Players Association President J.C. Tretter’s column attacking the fine system agreed to by the NFLPA includes a tidbit of previously unreported news.
Tretter revealed that an unnamed player was fined $50,000 for an injury this season.
“Injuries sustained by players are accused of faking a concussion” Tretter wrote. “The team’s medical staff told him to get on the field. He left the game for concussion evaluation, but due to the blow to the player’s head, our co-appointed UNC and AT team requested by Potter. He was diagnosed with a concussion and missed the next two series. Despite the weight placed on players’ self-reporting of this most serious injury, the NFL did He determined that the fine of $2.00 was justified. After his appeal, the fine was… rescinded in full.
“In our view, this sets a very dangerous precedent. On the other hand, if players are burdened with the responsibility of self-reporting injuries for their own safety, then there is no right to have the injury investigated. How can you be penalized for following reporting procedures?”
To be fair to the league, the appeal was successful, so no precedent was set. I hope the NFL learns from that.
And frankly, it’s surprising that the players and their agents didn’t leak the fines to the media.That’s Saints defensive end Cam Jordan. I did it last year, when he was fined $50,000 for feigning injury. he complained loudly, he ultimately won the appeal.
Given the success of Jordan’s appeal, the NFL may not have learned its lesson. Still, the more the league demands such hard-line tactics that miss the mark, the sooner the Big Shield will retreat.