Arizona Cardinals LB Daryl Washington Fined by NFL
By Scott Allen
Oct 6, 2013; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals linebacker Daryl Washington (58) chases down and tackles Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) during the second half at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
What’s another $21,000 to Arizona Cardinals linebacker Daryl Washington, right? I mean, it’s just money, right? Well, to the NFL it’s another chunk of money into their ridiculous collection of fines for hits that used to just be considered routine. Washington was fined the $21,000 for his hit on Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton in the Cards 22-6 victory last Sunday.
I’m telling you, let’s just take away the tackling. Let’s play with flags. The hit D-Wash put on Newton was nothing unusual. Personally, I think the NFL was just looking to find enough hits to fine people with. They probably have a quota to fill every week. D-Wash just happened to make a nice hit on one of the NFL’s young quarterbacks that the league is trying to protect in a bubble.
I liken the the NFL fines to quotas law enforcement has to reach in writing speeding tickets. Collecting these fines aren’t being levied due to the severity if the hit. They are being levied because they can be levied and any hit considered dangerous in the eyes of the NFL will be enforced with a fine. D-Wash’s hit was like a guy going 48 in a 45 zone in his car and getting a speeding ticket. It’s ticky tack and it pisses me off.
D-Wash didn’t injure Newton. He didn’t go head hunting. He put a good hard, clean hit on an NFL golden child. That’s it. Let’s just start having each member of every NFL defense write a check out for $21,000 before they are allowed to step on the field for a game and this way we don’t have to go listen to the NFL’s ridiculous reasons why someone should be fined. This way, everyone is on a level playing field and we can all move on. Ridiculous.