WARNING: have a AED near you... Bills fined for instigating

[DaBruinz]

According to Mike Rodak:



The fact that none of them were suspended ticks me off.. But I'm amazed they were even fined..

 

[A Defiant Goose]

Their real punishment will be getting their asses beat October 30th

 

[Ring 6]

According to Mike Rodak:



The fact that none of them were suspended ticks me off.. But I'm amazed they were even fined..

It would be moronic to suspend a player for what they did.

 

[Froob]

It would be moronic to suspend a player for what they did.

They might be tossed if they had done it during a game. It's a dangerous precedent they just set. But, it's the NFL and they never stick to precedence.

 

[The Gr8est]

The length of the investigation was due to the NFL* looking for any possible angle to see if they could pin this on BB.

They were ultimately unable to, which greatly disappointed the NFL*.

Can't reveal my sources, but I was able to find a copy of the announcement document that the league made before they determined they would not be able to make the punishment stick.

"The NFL has found Bill Belichick culpable in the sideline fight that occurred prior to the Bills-Pats game on 10-02-16.

As a result, the NFL has imposed the following punishment on the Pats.

'The Pats will forfeit their next 5 drafts entirely and will be unable to sign any UDFAs for that same period, the entire Pats roster will be made free agents immediately with the Pats being disallowed from re-signing any of the current roster, and BB will be executed at half time of the next Superbowl, with the method of execution to be determined at a later date.

The NFL wants to emphasize that the rules apply to all players and coaches because integrity.'"

 

[Ring 6]

They might be tossed if they had done it during a game. It's a dangerous precedent they just set. But, it's the NFL and they never stick to precedence.

No. It was a little shove. Frankly, in a game, it would be called a penalty, but honestly shouldn't.
This league has become more about punishment (often for ridiculous stuff) than on the field competition.

 

[pctronics0072]

can a coach or franchise publicly say they will pay the fines for the player? I know if they give the players the cash under the table, no one needs to know, but can rex straight up say "I did not think player x did anything deserving of a fine. I thought they were justified. We are going to pay the fine for them?"

 

[Silver Blue&Red]

I just wish someone on the Pats would have laid some wood. But they're disciplined. And they played like ca ca. But revenge is sweet. Especially against fat ass Rex

 

[A Defiant Goose]

It would be moronic to suspend a player for what they did.

Well I think one of them did hit a coach

 

[A Defiant Goose]

I just wish someone on the Pats would have laid some wood. But they're disciplined. And they played like ca ca. But revenge is sweet. Especially against fat ass Rex

Times like this I really miss Brandon Spikes. Dude had the mean streak we were missing when Harrison retired. Too bad he also had a moron streak to go with it

 

[Hammer of Thor]

No. It was a little shove. Frankly, in a game, it would be called a penalty, but honestly shouldn't.
This league has become more about punishment (often for ridiculous stuff) than on the field competition.

 

[DaBruinz]

can a coach or franchise publicly say they will pay the fines for the player? I know if they give the players the cash under the table, no one needs to know, but can rex straight up say "I did not think player x did anything deserving of a fine. I thought they were justified. We are going to pay the fine for them?"

No.. That would be a salary cap violation unless the applied the money to each players current cap number.

 

[borisman]

No. It was a little shove. Frankly, in a game, it would be called a penalty, but honestly shouldn't.
This league has become more about punishment (often for ridiculous stuff) than on the field competition.

Yes, it started as shove but escalated if I remember correctly with a coach getting shoved a few times. And I saw only Mitchell and Brissett and the rest were Bills pushing and taking some jabs. They HAD to have been the only Pats players out there. It lasted way too long for any other players to not notice.
The fines are justified IMO.

 

[fnordcircle]

Suspensions would have been too much, from what I saw. I think a fine + an in-game penalty would be ideal.

Start a fight before the game and your team forfeits the coin toss.

 

[Koma]

No. It was a little shove. Frankly, in a game, it would be called a penalty, but honestly shouldn't.
This league has become more about punishment (often for ridiculous stuff) than on the field competition.

That's a good point. Maybe it's just us (as in this board,) but compare how much attention the Bills shoving Brissett and Mitchell gets as opposed to Julio Jones' 300 yard day.

Taking a quick look at the PFT headlines for a comparison, I see 4 articles on each topic. To me, a receiving performance like that should get more attention.

 

[Armchair Quarterback]

In that case Pats should sign Jeff Gillooly to kneecap the opposing team's QB before each game.

 

[MitchKumstein]

Meh, I have no problem with these punishments. I agree with the posters above who say that they're surprised that no Patriots were punished.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Goodell: This should dismiss the notion that we play favorites. Justice was swift and tough but fair.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Aaron Williams must have gotten a lot

 

[Ring 6]

That's a good point. Maybe it's just us (as in this board,) but compare how much attention the Bills shoving Brissett and Mitchell gets as opposed to Julio Jones' 300 yard day.

Taking a quick look at the PFT headlines for a comparison, I see 4 articles on each topic. To me, a receiving performance like that should get more attention.

The league hands out dozens of fines every week, many for stupid things and other as a pretense to make the game safer which it doesn't do.
I'm sure after a record season of fines the league will go around touring the increase in donations to charity (since that is where the fines go) as if it was magnanimous.