Troy Polamalu fined for phone call

Countdown Daily Recap: STL-GB
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
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.
Connect with Facebook to share your ESPN activities. Learn more »
Learn more- Social Sharing ON ▼
- ON OFF ▼
- Remind me every time I add an event to my Activity
- My Activity ▼
- Recently shared to your timeline:
Share ESPN with your friends
Your friend shared this story on Facebook. Share ESPN with your friends to see everything they're reading and watching, and then share the latest news about the sports and teams you care about most!

NFL WEEK 7 PREVIEW

FINAL WORD
WEEK 7 PICKS
HOT READ: Tim Tebow
- Keown: A cultural earthquake
- Sprow: The "winner" myth

- Dilfer: He'll succeed -- at first

- Karabell: Fantasy value?

- Tebow Time
| Expectations
POWER RANKINGS
- 49ers, Ravens gain ground
- Voters | Bloggers' analysis | Rank 'em
- Sprow: Most overrated, underrated

- Mike & Mike's take
| Bloggers
JOHN CLAYTON/ADAM SCHEFTER
- Schefter 10 Spot: Perfection for Packers?
- Clayton's 1st and 10: Plan B time
- Schefter: Why Raiders can win division

MORE COMMENTARY/BLOG POSTS
- Walker: Dolphins better off losing?
- Fox: Midseason QB changes spell trouble
- Kiper: Packers' path to success

- Joyner: Trouble looms for Chargers

- Williamson: Ranking AFC West QB situations
- Flem File: Wild scenes on the sidelines
- Kuharsky: Why is Chris Johnson struggling?
- Yasinskas: Payton's injury won't hurt Saints
- Graziano: Ryan's impact on Cowboys' D
- Week 7 Barometer: Don't question Pack

- Joyner: Mike Wallace tops Calvin Johnson

- MVP Watch: RB duo cracks the top 10
- Keating: Will new QBs improve teams?

- QB Watch: Winning quietly as a rookie
- Rookie Watch: Smith speeding up Ravens
- Kiper: Draft impact of Palmer deal

- Hill: Perfection for the Packers? It's possible
SCOUTS INC./OUTSIDERS
MNF: Ravens at Jaguars, 8:30 ET
NFL DRAFT
- Weidl: Help coming for rebuilding teams

- Kiper's Big Board: CB Claiborne rises

- McShay: Updated Top 32 rankings

- Nickel Package: Five slow starters


ESPN THE MAGAZINE: The Plan B issue
ALSO SEE
MORE NFL HEADLINES
- NFL Future Power Rankings: GB is No. 1
- Joyner: Five breakout QB candidates
- Schatz: Why Packers are vulnerable
- Kiper: 2013 Big Board | 2012 breakouts
- FBO: NFC East needs | West | South | North

