Steelers safety Troy Polamalu was fined $10,000 by the NFL today for talking on a cell phone while in the bench area during the Steelers' 17-13 victory against Jacksonville on Sunday according to Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Polamalu said he had no comment on the fine when approached today inside the team's locker room after practice. Polamalu borrowed a cell phone from a team trainer to let his wife know he was OK after leaving the game against the Jaguars with a head injury. League rules state: "possession of cell phones, PDAs or other electronic equipment in the bench are during a game is strictly prohibited by league policy beginning 90 minutes before kickoff through the end of the game." Source: The Redzone
This is one of those things that can't be enforced... They have to set a rule and stick to it no matter what... Had Troy left the field and called, or had the trainer call would he still have been fined?
This is freaking ridiculous, the comissioners in every sport are taking rules to extremes and they are pretty freaking stupid
A rule is a rule. $10,000 fine is a bit excessive and there are better things to worry about than a dude calling his family to say he is fine.
A player should be allowed to call his family after an injury so they don't have to worry. Screw the comissioner and his bullcrap rules. Thats common logic, your family worries, you can stop that and calm them down. I would call my girlfriend every time I got injured if I were playing football
Calling your wife on the sideline to let her know you're alright carries the same fine as flipping off your sideline after a sack on national tv. Damn.
I just wish the 10,000$ fine would be applied to all inappropriate places for cell phone use (ie anywhere in public)
