Troy Polamalu fined for phone call

Updated: October 22, 2011, 2:16 PM ET
ESPN.com news services

NEW YORK -- Pittsburgh safety Troy Polamalu, the 2010 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, has been fined $10,000 for talking on a cell phone while in the bench area.

Possession of cell phones in the bench area during a game is prohibited beginning 90 minutes before kickoff through the end of the game.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Polamalu was calling his wife to assure her he wasn't seriously injured after he was taken out of last week's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He sustained what the team called a "very mild" concussion and was removed as a precaution.

Hensley: Bad call by the NFL

Seifert Troy Polamalu broke a rule, so the NFL had to fine him. But $10,000? That sends the wrong message, writes Jamison Hensley. Blog

Polamalu kept his helmet on save for a brief phone conversation with his wife. Possession of cell phones in the bench area during a game is prohibited beginning 90 minutes before kickoff through the end of the game. Tomlin said it was a team doctor's phone that Polamalu used.

Tomlin had hoped the NFL wouldn't discipline Polamalu over it.

"It wasn't a personal call. He wasn't checking on his bank account," Tomlin said Tuesday. "He was talking to his wife to let her know that he was fine."

Other fines around the NFL:

• Green Bay Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk was fined $10,000 for an obscene gesture during last week's win over St. Louis.

Hawk gestured to the Packers' sideline after making a play and was caught by television cameras.

• Packers teammates Clay Matthews and Tramon Williams also have been fined $5,000 each for wearing nonconforming shoes with their throwback uniforms against the Rams.

• Bengals running back Cedric Peerman was fined $20,000 fine for an apparent blindside block on a punt return against the Indianapolis Colts, according to multiple reports.

• Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo was fined $15,000 for roughing the passer with a helmet-to-helmet hit on Philadelphia's Michael Vick.

• Also fined for $15,000 for the same infraction as Orakpo were San Francisco linebacker Aldon Smith, who struck Detroit's Matthew Stafford below the knee, and Minnesota DT Kevin Williams for hitting Chicago's Jay Cutler in the head/neck area.

• Lions tight end Brandon Pettigrew was fined $7,500 for a chop block.

• Houston defensive end Antonio Smith was fined $7,500 for unnecessary roughness. He pulled off Ravens guard Andre Gurode's helmet.

Information from AFC North blogger Jamison Hensley, NFC West blogger Mike Sando and The Associated Press was used in this report.

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