There was a report earlier this week that Pittsburgh Steelers safety Mike Mitchell was fined nearly $50,000 for a dirty hit to the knees of Alex Smith Sunday.
For many, that fine wasn’t nearly enough punishment, as Mitchell clearly went after Smith’s legs well after the play was over — it was as blatantly dirty as hits go in the NFL these days (watch here).
So, as if that weren’t enough — that Mitchell got off without a suspension — we’re learning now that the huge fine wasn’t even for that particular play. According to Pro Football Talk, that monster fine was for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Chiefs running back Charcandrick West while he was trying to catch a pass. A hit that left West concussed, no less.
And that dirty hit to Smith? According to the report, it will cost Mitchell just $9,115.
There are many instances in which the NFL’s sense of justice is just way off. Like going the extra, extra mile to ensure a guy who was never charged with any crime at all gets suspended for six games, even if it costs millions in lawyers fees.
Meanwhile, the league that says safety is the issue of the era lets a guy who took a nasty, late shot at a quarterback’s knees — a guy who’s been hit multiple times with fines for dirty hits — gets nothing more than a slap on the wrist.