We’ve only gotten through week one of the NFL season and already the fines are rolling in. Â Isn’t football supposed to be a rough sport?! Â Well maybe commissioner Roger Goodell doesn’t think so as numerous fines were handed out for unnecessary roughness. Â Read more after the jump.
New York Giants safeties Antrel Rolle  and Kenny Phillips have been fined a total of $30,000 for unnecessary roughness calls in last weekend’s loss to the Washington Redskins.
The NFL confirmed the fines on Friday. The league did not identify the plays but both probably involved Redskins tight end Fred Davis.
Rolle was fined $20,000 for spearing an opponent with his helmet. Rolle was flagged for an unnecessary roughness call against Davis with roughly eight minutes left in the Redskins’ 28-14 win. The third-down penalty kept Washington’s drive alive and it scored an insurance touchdown.
Phillips was fined $10,000 because he unnecessarily struck an opponent in the head and neck area. The only play in question involving Phillips happened late in the third quarter on a tackle of Davis. A penalty was not called.
Phillips indicated in the locker room on Friday that he planned to appeal the fine.
The NFL has also fined three players for unnecessary roughness during the Baltimore Ravens’Â 35-7 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo was fined $15,000 for his horse-collar tackle; Steelers safety Troy Polamalu was fined $15,000 for his horse-collar tackle on Ravens running back  Ricky Williams; and Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor was fined $15,000 for head-butting a Ravens player.
-AP
