Dunta Robinson fined $50,000 by the league
Falcons cornerback Dunta Robinson was fined $50,000 for his hit on DeSean Jackson by the NFL on Tuesday.
Ray Anderson, the league’s executive vice president of football operations, is looking into ejecting and suspending players who make helmet-to-helmet hits in the future.
“Future offenses will result in an escalation of fines up to and including suspension,” Anderson wrote in a letter sent to Robinson.
Robinson, who suffered a concussion on the big hit he put on Philadelphia’s DeSean Jackson on Sunday, will not likely be cleared in time to play against Cincinnati.
“I think that we all know Dunta, he’s been in this league a long time,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said on Monday. “He’s a guy that plays the game very, very hard. That was a bang-bang play in terms of the contact. From my vantage point, it looked like there was no helmet-to-helmet contact. But it was a bang-bang play. I’m glad that both of those guys are going to be all right. It was a big time hit.”
The Falcons were off on Tuesday, but on Monday several players supported Robinson hit and thought it was within the league rules.
“This is a violent game,” defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux said. “Any tackle is never going to be perfect. We are always emphasizing to wrap up and take guys to the ground. When you are in the game and everything happens in a split second, you are just trying to get the guy down as quick as you can. It’s a reaction game. You’re not trying to hurt anybody out there. You want to see everybody do good and be healthy. We know injuries are going to happen.”
The Falcons don’t think they’ll be label as a dirty team.
“We are a clean team,” Babineaux said. “We play right. We do all of the things that are good for us to win out there.”
Robinson, a native of Athens, was signed to a $57 million ($25.5 million guaranteed) over the offseason. He played his first six seasons in the NFL with the Houston Texans.
The Falcons signed him to help improve their secondary, which finished 28th against the pass last season.
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161 comments Add your comment
J Who?
October 19th, 2010
6:25 pm
D. Orlando Ledbetter
October 19th, 2010
5:44 pm
Does a form tackle — HIT, WRAP and LIFT — solve this problem?
Does not solve the problem because if you lift, you then have to let the player go because if you take him to the ground once you lift him then the refs can construe that as “driving” the player into the ground which can (you guessed it) result in a penalty and a fine.
Luv 2 Hate Me
October 19th, 2010
6:40 pm
This makes no damn sense! Now every player must be extremely cautious when they tackle. There’s going to be a lot of mis-tackles because players will fear they’ll be fined. If you can’t take the hit then get your azz out the GAME. That’s why it’s called a full contact sport.
NFL
October 19th, 2010
6:43 pm
Gonna get like Nascar…Start acting a fool and lose your audience!
gman
October 19th, 2010
6:53 pm
NFL , wont you fine the receivers for coming cross the middle. receivers gone be coming cross the middle all day. i guess you let him catch the ball then tackle him, well gentlemen, you may as well call it cross the middle ball, the highest paid man on the field is on offense QB. the 2nd OT, 3rd WR. this is becoming a league for the offense. if your in high school, or in college and plan on making a career in football, make sure you pick an offensive position, because if your a physical type player get ready for a lot of fines, a lot of suspensions, whats the nfl gonna be like then
D. Orlando Ledbetter
October 19th, 2010
7:02 pm
Crackbaby — Thanks for stopping by.
gadawg — No doubt. But Robinson could have broken down and made a football play and FORM TACKLED. It’s a close call. The league refs were here this summer and I asked Jerome Bogar what were the players supposed to do? Form tackle? He said that would work. So, that’s why I keep bringing up form tackling.
Doug
October 19th, 2010
7:02 pm
DLed, Hit-Wrap-Lift sounds great when sitting at a desk or when you’re talking about a DLineman tracking a RB coming right at him. What happens when the Hit is so violent that the body can’t get the arms to Wrap? These are NFL athletes (i.e., very fast!) running crossing routes in the secondary toward DBs who a split second ago may have been covering a different WR.
Why don’t we put the guilt on the Offense? Fine a WR for running his route directly at another DB/LB! Fine a QB for putting his WR in danger when throwing him a pass after the WR has crossed the Tackle Box (i.e., QB can’t throw from inside the Tackle Box to a WR who has passed through the Tackle Box). That would eliminate a lot of these hits and be easy for the referees to judge. If the NFL wants to fine someone, fine the player who executed his play poorly with the time to make a decision, not the player who simply reacts in a split second.
BTW, haven’t read any word from you on complementing Dunta on not using his helmet as a weapon when he probably could have (he clearly turned his head down to avoid Jackson’s helmet). Let’s be fair here. Dunta’s training allowed him to REACT in a way that avoided a far greater injury.
Doug
October 19th, 2010
7:04 pm
BTW, “form-tackling” was what I saw out of DB Chris Houston a lot last year…you saw what kind of defense that got us…28th!!!
TONYT
October 19th, 2010
7:08 pm
Well, Deshaun can cancel some of those dancing lessons for a few weeks.
Doug
October 19th, 2010
7:11 pm
Crackbaby, great point you made on Steve Young’s comment! It is really the fault of the QB. This from a Hall of Fame QB!!! I challenge the NFL or the AJC to check into how many of these vicious hits are delivered to WRs on teams with experienced QBs. Is McNabb or Peyton hanging their WR’s out to dry?
Or do we even care? Someone was punished, so the suits feel better about themselves. Nevermind the truth!
Dick Butkus
October 19th, 2010
7:25 pm
This just in from NFL headquarters….. No offensive linemen will be needed in the 2011 draft. The NFL has implemented the “5 Mississippi” rule for defensive lineman. Current offensive lineman will now carry the wide receiver across the middle to catch a pass.
cgw
October 19th, 2010
7:30 pm
This is rediculus! I guess next they will put pink tutu’s and ballet slippers on the players. Football is a violent sport, get over it, and let the players play.
traci
October 19th, 2010
7:31 pm
So the league wants to fine and suspend players for hard hits/helmet to helmet hits which are sometimes unavoidable, in the name of player safety but they want to extend the season to 18 games and put players at increased risk of injury for the sake of more revenue in a multi billion dollar industry. Now, they do not guarantee contracts and until recently have always denied a link between ALS and multiple concussions received while playing the game and as such do not as a rule take care of players who suffer life altering, debilitating diseased…
Really? Are you kidding me….? I’m done…I simply can not support the hypocrisy..
oldskool1992
October 19th, 2010
7:35 pm
defensless my a$$, what a bullcrap move by the nfl. Jackson should be thanking Robinson for that hit, it’s good for a showboater to get his bell rung every so often!
SCFalcon
October 19th, 2010
7:36 pm
Sure glad NFL brass got that tough decision behind them. Now they can get back to Farve’s cell phone pics.
This issue and others are setting us for a strike next year. I don’t know how a player plays and full speed an completely avoids this from happening. In my opinion the media started this frenzy and the NFL brass reacted instead of a accurate and measured response.
dabrain
October 19th, 2010
7:40 pm
NFL should fine the grounds crew for making the field to hard! The ground caused the concussion!
Post-it
October 19th, 2010
7:42 pm
It wasn’t helmet to helmet! If anything, Robinson moved his head to the side ride before the hit. How is a defensive player supposed to knock the ball out of a receiver’s hands if not with big (legal) hits?
Adam
October 19th, 2010
7:51 pm
i really hope both guys are okay, but that call was atrocious. how the freak can you consider a guy defenseless who is in the process of making a catch? his hands were still on the ball. it was only incomplete after the hit dislodged it. this is football, and fans pay to see big hits. i hope the nfl is not starting to become as absurd as the NCAA. decoud’s hit was a cheap shot, but robinson’s play was clean. this is crazy that we should even be having this discussion.
Mike
October 19th, 2010
7:56 pm
I did not even think the hit warranted a 15 yard penalty. It was a hard hit, and scary for both players. I am not sure what else Robinson should have done, maybe let Jackson complete the catch and go blazing by him. There was nothing dirty or malicious about the hit. Maybe they need to put flags on the QBs and receivers, make a rule that one flag is down, if they pull both flags it is a turnover. Or maybe they could make it a game of two hand touch, or just have the defensive players politely let the QB or receiver know that he is planning on making a tackle so they can get into a defensive position. I completely understand the league attempting to protect the players, but do not make it so you have DB’s and LB’s afraid to make a legal hit that may be questionable and could possibly constitute fines or a suspension.
Bo Diddley
October 19th, 2010
8:07 pm
The two most basic tackling rules I was taught in Pee Wee football are 1) always look at what you’re tackling — that is, keep your head up; and 2) hIt, wrap up, drive through the tackle. The first rule was taught as much for the tackler’s protection as for the runner’s/receiver’s. Hitting with your head down or with the crown of your head invites spinal injury. DOL is right. A return to the fundamentals solve this problem. Trying to make the Sportscenter highlights creates it.
falcons17
October 19th, 2010
8:12 pm
Put diapers on all of the little babies!! The NFL is so out of touch and always reactive about everthing!! Being safe is one thing but this is football not chess, contact will happen.
jOEdIRT
October 19th, 2010
8:15 pm
Too bad Skinny-D-JAX won’t remember a thing from the hit since the concussion has caused him some memory loss, I am sure he will do it again soon!
Dorkydad
October 19th, 2010
8:19 pm
I can only hope that Dunta will be appealing these. Any word on that, DOL?
falcons17
October 19th, 2010
8:30 pm
NFL=NO Football LEAGUE
Not Don Waddell
October 19th, 2010
8:33 pm
Would Mo Lewis’s hit on Drew Bledsoe in 2001 be considered a penalty today?
falconfan 24-7
October 19th, 2010
8:39 pm
This is BS. THe NFL front office wears pink panties. Go Figure.
Truthteller
October 19th, 2010
8:40 pm
This is what you get when you let people that have never played the game make decisions.
falconfan 3411
October 19th, 2010
8:47 pm
You can hit the running back helment to helment, but not the reciever. Jackson lined up in the wildcat as a running back. That made him free game according to the rule book. Right?
Falcon Jim
October 19th, 2010
8:55 pm
At 77comments, without really counting, looks like about 72 to 5 against this ruling. Way to go NFL.
Buddy
October 19th, 2010
9:14 pm
The hit was helmet to shoulder (you can’t remove your head before you make a tackle), somebody show me where this is illegal. I understand protecting helpless players but the catch was made, the receiver took almost 2 steps and the defender did his job, if you can’t stop the reception, you try to separate the player from the ball.
JTW
October 19th, 2010
9:29 pm
I agree with the Nascar comparison. Nascar lost me as a fan about five years ago and so might the NFL. This is BS.
Draggin' Fly
October 19th, 2010
9:31 pm
Here’s the statement that Robinson released Tuesday:
“I am disappointed by the NFL’s ruling. I recognize the goal is to protect all players — from the Pee Wee level on up — however, this was a bang-bang hit situation where I did not lead with my helmet, and therefore I will appeal. Although it was a violent hit, my hit did not violate the NFL’s rules, and I was playing the game the way I always have. I am not a dirty player and have never been characterized as one.”
Good.
falconfiend
October 19th, 2010
9:39 pm
There was a big violent hit against roddy last season by dallas. I remember that hit but no fines. Although Dunta’s hit was violent, desean only weighs 175 lb. If an opponent hits tony gonzalez like that, the hit will not be as violent because Gonzo goes 243 packed with muscle.
Atlanta Falcons Tickets | Atlanta Falcons Scores, News, and Atlanta Falcons Information
October 19th, 2010
9:46 pm
[...] NFL slammed Robinson with a $50,000 fine, escalating the league’s threats to start cracking down on helmet-to-helmet [...]
Georgia Dome Seating Chart | Georgia Dome Tickets, Seating Charts, and Events
October 19th, 2010
9:53 pm
[...] day continued to resonate with the franchise on Tuesday, when cornerback Dunta Robinson was fined $50,000 by the National Football League for his violent hit on Philly receiver DeSean [...]
SCFalcon
October 19th, 2010
9:59 pm
Sunday all fans should get up in masse and walk out of the stadium during the first series to make a statement to the NFL……
…..then they all walk back in with pink panties on there heads to drive the point home.
Falcon Jim
October 19th, 2010
10:07 pm
SCFalcon, WHOA YEA. DO IT! DO IT!
GOTTA GET EVERYBODY TOGETHER ON THIS.
Show the league we support D Robinson and disagree with where they are going. !
RISE UP ! ! !
Falcon Jim
October 19th, 2010
10:10 pm
Bring “NFL SUX” little signs. (If the nazis won’t take them away.)
SCFalcon
October 19th, 2010
10:12 pm
RISE UP …. AND WALK OUT!
Falcon Jim
October 19th, 2010
10:23 pm
DO IT !
DO IT !
SCFalcon
October 19th, 2010
10:25 pm
Write your anti NFL slogans on your pink undershirt. When you RISE UP, you LIFT UP and SHOUT IT UP as you WALK UP and out.
Oh and no concessions purchases during the walkout. So you have to DRY UP at the same time.
LET’S DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Falcon Jim
October 19th, 2010
10:30 pm
Man, we got to do it. Make this the whole scope of Falcon blogs the next four days. Hit them all.
Thomas
October 19th, 2010
10:31 pm
This is becoming a sissy league. I never saw it live but watched the replay and it does not appear that he hit him helmet to Helmet unless they have a better view than I saw on TV.
Ray Anderson and Mike Pereira are stupid to call that a cheap or dirt shot.
Falcon Jim
October 19th, 2010
10:33 pm
I was over-eager about “NFL SUX” signs. Make everything hard-hitting, but politically correct so it gets on T.V.
Like……..”Free Dunta Robinson”……….and such.
Chucktown
October 19th, 2010
10:34 pm
D Led The NFL had NO right to fine Dunta, it was a clean hit.Next thing you will know they will fine for gang tackles. Tackling when players aren’t looking men play this game not girls. I will be hard pressed to play money for a game with no jaw droping hits. Funny we don’t have these problem in college.With out the big hit why pay money to watch pro
SCFalcon
October 19th, 2010
10:34 pm
RISE UP – PULL UP- WALK UP and OUT. The media can’t ignore it. We embarass the NFL and the sports media.
SPREAD THE WORD!!!
Falcon Jim
October 19th, 2010
10:35 pm
DO IT! This could be a REAL “bandwagon” experience and really get the team going. A real rallying point.
Common Falcon fans, get behind this!
SCFalcon
October 19th, 2010
10:40 pm
Plant this message on the other blogs on this website. Then plant it on SI Fox Sports and other sites.
Let’s do it! NOW! RISE UP! – RAISE UP! – MOVE UP!
Falcon Jim
October 19th, 2010
10:43 pm
Google for falcon sites and nfl sites and put the word out.
“FREE DUNTA”
Falcon Jim
October 19th, 2010
10:50 pm
Many years ago at the old stadium during a Braves game, Ed Varga made an extremely “controversial” call. I was right in the site line and started chanting “The Umpire Sux” over and over. The whole stadium picked it up. It was awesome. (I really did this, no b.s.) You can look this up in Braves history, it was so cool when I found it on the net.
Anyway, the point is, it is so cool to do something of historical, “political” impact. Let’s DO IT!
GO FALCONS !!
Caught Looken
October 19th, 2010
11:06 pm
The NFL talks about concern and health of the players, but yet wants to go to a 18 game schedule!!! PLEASE!!!!