NFL Rules One James Harrison Hit Legal, Still Reviewing Second Hit

With all due respect to Mike Tomlin, the final verdict on whether one of James Harrison's hits was legal or not Sunday will be rendered by the NFL this week. Neither of Harrison's hits that knocked the Cleveland Browns' Joshua Cribbs and Mohamed Massaquoi from the game drew a penalty, at least not on Sunday. The league already has determined that the Cribbs hit was legal but is reviewing Harrison's high hit on Massaquoi. "The first hit [on Cribbs, who was a runner] was legal," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said in an e-mail to the Post-Gazette. "The second will be reviewed." The two were among a handful of vicious hits to the head around the NFL Sunday that have drawn the attention of the league office and ultimately could draw punishment including a fine and/or suspension. Ray Anderson, the league's vice president of football operations whose office doles out such punishment, reacted swiftly to the head hits on Monday. "We are going to take a very proactive look at our enforcement," Anderson said in an interview transcribed by the league and made available to the media. "It may be that this office in particular needs to take the responsibility of just making sure that the penalty -- the discipline and the enforcement of the rules currently on the books -- is very proactively enforced. We may do that much sooner than later."

Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

 

He's going to get fined for the Massaquoi hit, and whether the Cribbs hit was legal or not, the league will figure in an extra 5 grand for it. You tackle with your head up for a reason. When Harrison gets a neck injury or a concussion for spearing people with the top of his head, I won't feel sorry for him.

 

The Crinbs hit is a nondiscussion...totally legal.

I've watched the second hit many times. If you watch it would be more natural for Harrison to lay "Mass" out with his left shoulder as Mass is coming left to right. Harrison stops and makes an effort to hit with his right shoulder and keeps his head up and arms extended. It wasn't flagrant or aggregious...which is what constitutes fines.

 

People need to judge the hit...NOT the result. In not only this case, but them all. If 5 people are in a room and one or two see ot different there should be no suspension issued.

If Massaqoui gets up and comes in the next play, we're not even discussing this hit. It's a fast game...things happen in an instant.

Judge the actual hit. Not the result.

 

Harrison left his feet for the second hit, that has been a fine in recent years, and I doubt it changes. Whether or not any further action is taken is doubtful.

 

He won't be suspended which is all that matters to me.

 

What if 2 or 3 of the five are SteAler fans and therefor as objective as you?

 

Go back and compare it to the TJ Ward/Shipley hit (which I argued wasn't an intentional hit to the helmet). He still got 15G. Harrison will get more for reputation (which is the 5 I was attributing to the Cribbs hit earlier). Legal or not, the Cribbs hit (and the VY one from earlier in the year) makes the Massaquoi one look worse.

Whether or not Massaquoi gets up and runs back to the line, he's still getting fined.

 

Giants CB Terrell Thomas says while James Harrison's hit may be illegal, it's not dirty.

 

Massaquoi hit, illegal but not dirty
Cribbs hit, legal but dirty.

 

He didn't launch himself at a defenseless receiver. I agree he should be fined for hitting a defenseless receiver hard. The intent to injure wasn't there.

Exactly.

Because that's exactly what will happen. You obviously fail to see the point that if there is any gray area in creating the new rule, it's an EPIC fail. It has to be black and white. The league doesn't want to suspend players because it lessens their product. If there is a questionable hit and the rule is gray, a player could get suspended when he shouldn't or vice versa. That's the point. Not how many SteAlers or Beagle fans are on the committee.

Again, the Massaquoi one yes for hitting a defenseless receiver. The Cribbs hit...non-factor. Totally legal.

 

the rule is VERY simple people. if a player LAUNCHES himself, leaving his feet with arms thrown back and helmet leading in an attempt to hit an opposing player anywhere on his helmet or under his helmet, it IS ILLEGAL and James DID IT on the massoquai hit. I'm not sure how anyone is not seeing it in this case. it's obvious and so was the meriweather one.

 

This isn't launching...both feet on the ground, contact made. Not remotely close to the Merriweather one.

 

Harrison fined $75K.....jesus thats steep.

 

LMAO Ward you are the most ridiculous person I have ever encounter..... take your pic then fast forward 0.2 seconds and see him wolverine style in the air over top Massaquoi. How did he end up in the air? Did Massaquoi throw him into the air as he was being laid out? NO he LAUCHED himself, helmet first into the air.

 

.2 seconds...after contact is made...lol.

 

how can you see anything in that picture? on the video, he's just starting his launch upon contact and during the hit his feet obviously leave the ground because his launch had started.

 

Repeat offender.

No suspensions! :icon_cheesygrin:

 

The rule doesn't say you can launch helmet first into another players head as long as your feet haven't left the ground by the time you touch him.


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But you knew that. Don't you ever get tired defending all of your dirty players?

 

must spread some rep phigles.