The New England Patriots wide receiver Danny Amendola was fined for a bone jarring hit he laid on cornerback Jamell Fleming which resulted in a flag being thrown for unnecessary roughness.
The hit itself had all the looks of a targeting play (which in college would result in an ejection) but in the NFL targeting is not called. The unnecessary roughness penalty would only end up costing the Patriots 2 yards but could have cost Fleming a whole lot more.
Amendola and Belichick have stated that the hit was legal and that Amendola was allowed to block on that play. Amendola never gave a fair catch so he was allowed to block but clearly the hit was not expected by Fleming who crumpled to the turf.
The standard fine for a hit on a defenseless receiver is $23.152, it is not yet known how much Amendola will pay. In live action the play was clearly a penalty and seemed to have some tones of helmet to helmet however after closer inspection is appears as if Amendola's shoulder pad struck Fleming in the head.
The violent collusion sent shockwaves through Flemings body and somehow came away from this injury unharmed.
