Patrick Ricard’s pockets may quickly be $21,694 lighter.
That’s the quantity the Ravens’ veteran fullback was fined for pointless roughness two weeks in the past for what a routine block on Cardinals center linebacker Kyzir White as he helped clear the way in which up the center for a 5-yard run by Gus Edwards close to the Arizona objective line within the second quarter.
It’s additionally what he says is “the cost of doing business” within the NFL nowadays, although he isn’t joyful about it.
“I’m trying to make my block. We’re on the 5-yard line,” Ricard stated Sunday after the Ravens’ win over the Seahawks. “I’m going to do everything I can to make sure that my guy doesn’t make the play and I drive him backward. If my head gets involved, it gets involved.”
Ricard stated he’s interesting the advantageous. His case will probably be assigned to one of many league’s two appeals officers, former linebacker Derrick Brooks or former broad receiver James Thrash, who will hear each side earlier than rendering a closing ruling.
He isn’t the one Ravens participant to have been fined this season. Baltimore is tied with the Buffalo Bills for the second-most fines stemming from on-field actions within the league with 13. The Pittsburgh Steelers have probably the most with 19. And Baltimore’s record doesn’t embody the $10,000 uniform violation receiver Rashod Bateman stated he acquired for carrying custom-made cleats that featured a Batman emblem alongside along with his surname on the aspect of the shoe.
“It was crazy,” Bateman stated. “I had no idea. It’s kind of lame, but it is what it is.”
On Wednesday, NFL Players Association president and former Cleveland Browns heart JC Tretter stated there’s “a growing amount of frustration from players and fans around how on-field fines are implemented.”
“If eliminating dangerous play is the overall goal, then the current system we have is not fully achieving it,” Tretter wrote in an article printed on the NFLPA’s web site.
To that finish, Bateman additionally bought hit with a $16,391 advantageous for pointless roughness in opposition to Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt throughout a Week 2 sport in Cincinnati. Bateman was flagged for an unlawful blindside block on the fourth-quarter play, although solely six of the fines levied on Baltimore gamers this season occurred on performs during which a penalty was known as.
“I don’t plan on getting any more [fines], but the NFL is getting kinda soft,” Bateman stated. “Never know what you’re gonna get fined for.”
Some have been apparent fines in ready. For instance, Ravens security Kyle Hamilton was ejected for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Tennessee Titans broad receiver Chris Moore throughout their Week 6 sport in London.
That was an costly weekend for his teammates and different gamers across the league, with a season-high 36 fines handed out throughout the NFL. Five of them went to 4 Ravens gamers, together with two issued to Odell Beckham Jr. The receiver bought right into a tussle with Titans defensive lineman Jeffrey Simmons throughout and after the sport as nicely, with Beckham saying Simmons had gone after fellow receiver Zay Flowers’ legs on the finish of 1 specific play.
“I just didn’t like that. I’m protective,” Beckham stated afterward. “This is my guy. This is my little bro. Love him to death. I’m always gonna have his back, period. If that leads me into trouble then it is what it is.”
So far, Beckham and defensive sort out Justin Madubuike have a team-high three fines apiece this season. One of Madubuike’s additionally got here in London with a $16,391 advantageous handed out for pointless roughness late within the third quarter, although there was no penalty on the play. Fellow defensive sort out Michael Pierce was clipped for a similar quantity for his roughing the passer penalty on quarterback Ryan Tannehill earlier within the third.
The different Baltimore participant fined within the sport was left sort out Ronnie Stanley, who was hit for $16,391 for a tough collision with Simmons. Like Ricard, he’s interesting the advantageous and awaiting phrase from the league.
In all, 10 Ravens have racked up $229,937 in fines, with Beckham’s two for $21,844 the stiffest single penalty doled out.
“There’s definitely frustration,” Stanley stated. “I think guys think the game’s gotten a little soft in that regard. But we just have to be compliant with the rules at hand and try our best. But we’re not gonna stop playing Raven football, and we’re just gonna play physical.”
Ravens coach John Harbaugh stated every now and then he’ll name the league as a result of his gamers do discuss concerning the fines they’ve been issued.
“We’re coaching these things, so we want to understand how the league views it,” he stated. “[We] also understand that there is a process that is in place to take a look at that, so it’s not just one-sided. It’s not like the NCAA, where there’s just a judge, jury and executioner. It’s the NFL, and there’s a Players Association that has an opportunity to create some fairness, which is good; that’s the way it should be. So, they’ll challenge those fines, and a decision will be made, and then you move forward; that’s just how it works. That’s collective bargaining, and it actually works out really well.”
Though the NFL declined to remark when contacted by The Baltimore Sun, their operations website notes that there have been 236 fines issued this season on 18,745 performs, or 1.26% of all performs.
Tretter acknowledged that the union may do a greater job of informing gamers of their rights, noting that 12% of the roughly 460 fines weren’t appealed final season. For instance, first-time “offenders” can watch a five-minute educational video on the finish of each season for an automated 25% discount within the on-field advantageous quantity.
Once a participant is fined, or has misplaced an attraction, the quantity is withheld from their subsequent sport examine. Fines are then collected and donated to the Washington-based Professional Athletes Foundation, which supplies assist to athletes and former gamers in quite a lot of methods together with psychological, bodily and monetary well-being, in addition to the NFL Foundation, which, because the league places it, “further supports the health, safety and wellness of athletes across all levels of the sport.” Since 2011, about $4 million a yr has been generated, in response to the NFL.
Still, Ricard’s advantageous particularly drew the ire of a number of present and former gamers, together with J.J. Watt.
“This is STEALING money from guys,” tweeted Watt, a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year who performed for the Houston Texans and Cardinals. “These absurd fines for routine football plays have got to stop. Fines for intentfully malicious plays? Absolutely. Taking $21,694 from a guy for this?! What are we doing. This is out of control.”
Ricard concurs, after all.
“I think it’s pretty ridiculous, to be honest, especially the amount they’re fining me,” he stated. “I’ve been doing this for seven years at the highest level at my position. I’ve never been fined for it before. For that to get fined, it’s hard to believe.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com