Dunta Robinson to appeal his $50,000 fine

SPORTS FBN-FALCONS-EAGLES 17 PHFLOWERY BRANCH — Falcons cornerback Dunta Robinson plans to appeal his $50,000 fine for a hit that he made on Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson.

“I am disappointed by the NFL’s ruling,” Robinson said in a statement released by his agent. “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.”

Robinson didn’t practice with the Falcons on Wednesday. He watched from the field and went inside with about 10 minutes left.

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104 comments Add your comment

Frozen Rope

October 20th, 2010
6:47 pm

Ronnie Lott used to hit guys like that all the time and he was called a great player,,, Danta does it and he’s a cheap shot artist,, boy times have really changed,,,

Frozen Rope

October 20th, 2010
6:50 pm

sorry, Dunta,

mrzizzle

October 20th, 2010
6:55 pm

Way to go Robinson! Tell that Roger Goodell to pull his panties out of his backside! The is the NFL and your hit was clean and incredible!!!!!

Section 108

October 20th, 2010
6:58 pm

I say it is 50K well spent. Now other teams WR finally know that if you come with that junk across the middle, then you gonna pay with your brain hitting your skull

RISE UP!!!!!!

ty

October 20th, 2010
6:59 pm

From pee wee up to college kids are taught to hit hard and hit to jar the ball loose. A incomplete pass is better than a completed pass when you are on defense. The NFL ban on hard hits for a against what is taught at a young age. If that catch was in the endzone duanta just saved a touch down.

FalconFanatic

October 20th, 2010
7:07 pm

Go hard or Go home! It was a hard hit, but was legal! This is FOOTBALL! I’m glad Dunta is appealing the 50K fine…absurd! This game is meant to eliminate the weak and those who can’t bring it should find another occupation…Get in the gym…get your weight up…hold your on and take the damn HIT! I hate the Jackson suffered a concussion, it was very unfortunate, but Robinson got injured as well! He’s never been a dirty player and It’s honestly not in him to maliciously hurt or harm another player. I wish them both a speedy recovery, but let this be a lesson to all players…come hard or don’t come at all…….GO FALCONS…LET’S GET IT!

DirtyBirdsGirl

October 20th, 2010
7:10 pm

Ummmm…to all the softies out there…get your panties outta bunch…@FalconFanatic…I sooooooo feel you!

ty

October 20th, 2010
7:14 pm

I guess we need to start teaching our kids to be cupcake football players and hitters. We got to teach them to bear hug tackle and hand tackle, so they won’t hit hard if they make it to the nfl.

Kelli

October 20th, 2010
7:20 pm

How was Desean Jackson defenseless? He had caught the football. Aren’t players considered defenseless when they do not have the ball?

waynester

October 20th, 2010
7:23 pm

sam
Nailed it earlier–there’s no recourse for a HC to challenge a roughing/unsportsmanlike conduct call, which is highly subjective to begin with. At a minimum, booth review should be an option when even the announcers/viewers can see a blown on-field call through the magic of super slo-mo mere moments after the play is concluded. In this case, Moose Johnson jumped to the conclusion that it was a “bad” hit immediately and went off on his tirade about “dirty” players/plays and despite repeated views that showed a legal, pass-disrupting hit, continued to pontificate about “bad” hits, suggesting that the hit by Dunta was “viscious” which suggests malicious intent–something he couldn’t possibly know.
The lack of accountability by the League’s Officiating crews is unacceptable.Until we fans demand it we’ll keep getting unprofessional game officials. The day after every NFL game, you read about blown, game-changing calls but you never hear of any disciplinary action/big dollar fines against the crews/crewmembers who actually bungle the multi-million dollar calls/lack of calls. Yet you certainly will read about players/coaches being fined routinely, tens of thousands of dollars a pop. It’s wrong I tells ya’…..

DrJ

October 20th, 2010
8:10 pm

So next time Dunta hits the receiver with his shoulder in the mid-section, and the guy falls and bangs his head on the turf, resulting in a concussion. There are a lot of ways the brain can get rattled around in football, and I think the NFL doesn’t know where to draw a line on “ok” hits. LOL

Palmpressure

October 20th, 2010
8:35 pm

FIRE ROGER GOODELL, he’s any idiot! How can any player for the Falcons play football for Arthur Blank? Especially, if you’re Black. Why go out there every Sunday and give it all you’ve got for Arthur Blank, Roger Goodell and those red-neck Falcon fans whom they cater too? At the end of the day, Arthur Blank is just going to “throw you’ll under the bus,” just as he did Michael Vick.
Blank is just an parasite from Home Depot. But, now he wants you players to respect him. Something he hasn’t earned,not even from Home Depot. He’s good at riding people’s coat tails. But, when it time for him to step-up to the plate, he doesn’t “pony-up.” Arthur Blank and Roger Goodell will never ‘have your back.” They have already proven as much.

ATLJim31

October 20th, 2010
8:56 pm

The NFL is full of complete hypocrites!

If i was Dante Robinson, I would sue the league for the fine. Technique was clean and D. Jackson was in the air coming down to him… it was impossible to have it not look violent.
DR was not in the wrong… and the NFL is dead wrong fining him.

bcinbuford

October 20th, 2010
8:58 pm

First of all, Dunta, that was an incredible hit. Legal and not meant to hurt. Anyone who looks at the tape, full speed or slow motion can see that he did not lead with his head, did not aim for the head, and did not launch himself off the ground. The refs blew that call plain and simple. I am glad that Dunta is appealing the fine, but doubt that the NFFL (National Flag Football League) will ever admit that they made a mistake. As for Palmpressure, where or when did race ever become an issue about this? It is that kind of racist BS that keeps the Racial issues alive!

atilladahunt

October 20th, 2010
9:44 pm

This is crazy…that play resulted in a fumblef first of all…seconly, he hit him with this shoulder on DeSean’s shoulder..I don’t know how defenselss is measured, but if a player can;’t lead with a should pad than this game doesn’t make sense any more….

Bob

October 20th, 2010
9:50 pm

One thing these folks all have in common: all have said on national television that dunta’s hit was not illegal and should not be penalized.
Andy Reid
Mike Mayock
Sterling Sharpe
Solomon Wilcox
Mark Schlereth
Tim Hasselback
Steve Young
Jim Mora
Matt Millen
etc

tyger

October 20th, 2010
9:51 pm

dz

October 20th, 2010
9:57 pm

I don’t care what you make, $50,000 is $50,000.

I love how the league sells pictures of these hits, and then fines players for making them.

Talk about a double standard.

POLOBOY

October 20th, 2010
10:33 pm

GO DANTE! GET YOUR MONEY BACK, GET YOUR MONEY BACK, GET YOUR MONEY BACK

Falcon Jim

October 20th, 2010
10:58 pm

@Eyes wide open !!!!

Been a while since your post, but I just got on.

I cannot believe what you said and I cannot believe my friends here did not excoriate you.

You are so wrong in every point you made. Why are you posting on a football blog? Get out of here and don’t come back ! ! !

do-dah do-dah

October 20th, 2010
11:27 pm

October 19th, 2010

Fox analyst Mike Pereira, the NFL’s vice president of officiating from 2004-’09, believes that Robinson was put in a tough spot.

“Robinson didn’t launch, but he did lower his head and made contact on what appeared to be on the [right] shoulder,” Pereira wrote on the website FoxSports.com. “Jackson is considered defenseless as the pass was incomplete and as a defender, Robinson is not allowed to lower his head and contact Jackson anywhere on his body.”

Atlanta Housewife

October 20th, 2010
11:39 pm

PHILLY PHAN, Where are you BITCH ?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Atlanta Housewife

October 20th, 2010
11:41 pm

Here BITCHY ! BITCHY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chucktown

October 21st, 2010
12:48 am

Palmpressure are you head of the BLACK panther party? If so I hope the world pisses all over you!!! PUNK!!!

Shoeless Joe Jackson

October 21st, 2010
12:56 am

@ Eyes Wide Open

Did you even watch the game or is your lame @$$ post based on what you heard from someone else? Every “point” you made has absolutely no legs to stand on. Why don’t you 1) watch the game next time and 2) get your facts straight before coming on here trolling for answers.

Falcon Jim

October 21st, 2010
12:59 am

Palmpressure, I think you forgot your meds or something. Please take care and, uhm, chill baby.

Falcon Fan Since 1966...

October 21st, 2010
1:21 am

Dunta, you have become my favorite Falcon. You were just doing your job well, man. You removed the ball.

I am sure that Coach BVG was proud of the effort. I feel sorry for the receiver and you. However, jarring hits are part of the game. No head to head.

Good with the appeal big guy.. Go Falcons!!!!

Alan R

October 21st, 2010
1:27 am

Dunta is getting screwed and this article points out how the NFL overreacted!
http://supertao.com/category/the-mind-side-blog/

Hunk Erdown

October 21st, 2010
2:20 am

I think if a player has the ball he should be open to be hit any way someone can hit him. If they are going to keep this rule about leading with the head, it should be really obvious before it is called. If a player doesn’t have the ball, fine, but if he has the ball or is trying to get control of the ball he should be fair game.

Either way, D-Rob’s hit was what its all about. I love it, and would just about give $50,000 to get to hit someone like that on national tv. Now there will be mad respect for him from anyone crossing the hash marks around him. I would bet money that there will be at least a couple of recievers that “hear footsteps” around Dunta the rest of the year, and drop passes.

When I was in combat there were “rules of engagement” that our own lawmakers came up with (people who had never even seen a battlefield) that could put you in a tight spot. Now it has gotten so bad that there are American soldiers getting killed because they are on a recon mission and can’t fire on a bunch of rag heads with AK 47s until they fire on us. May be a poor analogy, but whether it’s football or war the rule makers need to be people that are familiar with the battle.

Never saw a slow motion video

October 21st, 2010
4:00 am

the pic above is most damning (slightly leading with head) but that is bogus call. The anchor kept going on an on but the fast motion did not show enough evidence.

newgafatboy

October 21st, 2010
7:44 am

this may have already been asked, but how the “H.E. double hocky sticks” is a reciever defenseless when he has the bleeping ball in his hands?? i dont know why Smitty didnt challenge the freakin call.
Falcons need to put a dollar donation box out side the gates, so D.R. and the safeties can keep lighting the recievers up. i’d gladly pay a dollar to see the secondary keep playing like that.

newgafatboy

October 21st, 2010
7:47 am

maybe Blank should start a “vicious hit” account. just so recievers know the secondary are ready to pay out some fines for crushing blows. recievers might think twice if they know there is money in waiting if they get drilled going across the middle.

Joe Tess Fish House

October 21st, 2010
7:51 am

Sum of U are on crack. Robinson should be band 4 life. He could of have killed that guy and U all are praising him?

ty

October 21st, 2010
8:24 am

To me its obvious that a lot of people making comments saying it was a illegal hit and he should be fined or even suspended, never played football or if they did play they were that one person everybody wanted to hit. You know the teams tackling dummy!!!

ty

October 21st, 2010
8:27 am

Meant to say never ever played football.

cejay

October 21st, 2010
8:36 am

Reality

October 20th, 2010
5:24 pm
Mike Vick on his most recent injury:

“…uhmmm, you know….I mean…you know what I’m sayin’…you know….aww…it ain’t nothin’ but, when
I…uhmmmmm, you know what I’m sayin’…you know…I’m uma….well…the thing is…well, you know.”
—————————-
Hahahahahah, my vote for funniest post !!!

marylandmymaryland

October 21st, 2010
10:02 am

it was a spear. illegal.

Zoomie

October 21st, 2010
10:04 am

The hit didn’t break any NFL rules. Good luck with your appeal, Dunta.

Spete birddawg

October 21st, 2010
10:23 am

I’m in the Tampa market and have heard nothing negative regarding D.R.in fact everyone is defending him.

Jake

October 21st, 2010
10:25 am

I have been going to NFL games since Sammy Baugh in DC back in the late 40’s. If the receiver had held the ball instead of dropping it, there would have been no issue. Robinson had absolutely no chance to stop the collision unless he made the stupid assumption that the ball would be dropped. What really concerns me about this whole episode is the league warning to Robinson that “you better not do it again or we will really nail you”. The last thing we need is a DB that gets timid. Bad, bad call Goodell.

ASHCAN.

October 21st, 2010
10:34 am

Our opinions don’t mean squat diddley.It was what it was and is what it is(Speaking of the hit and fine)He(robinson)has the money to pay for it.The nfl is setting a example by hitting players with large fines so his appeal will not be granted.So bloggers save all your arguing and fussing over somrthing that will not change.

jloofatl

October 21st, 2010
10:45 am

How are you getting fined for a play that was within the nfl rules. They are taking away from the reason we watch the game. So sad

Falcons chic

October 21st, 2010
10:58 am

Dunta should NOT be the media’s poster boy for bad, concussion causing hits. When my husband and I were commuting out together, we heard on the radio that he’d been fined $50,000 but Steelers’ Harrison WASN’T penalized, had two hits where he HAD launched himself, and only got charged $75,000. My hubby immediately exclaimed: “HALF OFF FOR THE SECOND HIT ???”

Veedub

October 21st, 2010
11:36 am

So what contitutes a defenseless player… we are talking about football, right? Was Dunta supposed to wait till Jackson made the catch,posessed the ball and covered up before he hit him? It was a good/clean/hard football hit. There was no launching and the only possible helmet to helmet happened as a result ou the impact and that, good people, you cannot control. League is going crazy, No more big hits my A$$…

Jacques Strappe

October 21st, 2010
11:43 am

This is going to be a bad ruling that could hurt the game. I already don’t like the earlier changes that has led to so many crazy pass interference calls becoz a receiver was touched during his route. This new “safety” rule will cause players to think rather than react and may cause more injuries as unintended consequences. I hope Dunta wins his appeal on this, if not and were I Bill Gates I would pay it for him. His hit did not have malicious intent. Too many times helmet-to-helmet hits happen when a tackler is in the process of attacking the ballcarrier who then ducks (a natural defensive reaction) or is going down due to other defensive activity. Those dynamics change what would be a shoulder/chest hit into an unintended helmet hit. My suggestion: Back away from this regulation; find a safer helmet.

anybody remember Chucky Mullins

October 21st, 2010
12:02 pm

Chucky was ole miss player that speared the vandy player and became paralyzed. The media glorified this clown (who later died from clot). Replays showed him clearing trying to spear the Vandy player. He got what he deserved because he could have paralyzed the Vandy player. Cheap, dirty shot.

chris in HOUSTON TX

October 21st, 2010
12:10 pm

Dunta appealing means NOTHING you will lose. You are a dirty player, glad you got FINED. I am also glad DeSean superstar Jackson is okay. He is the new breed of superstars in the NFL and one must protect his type of player.

Joey M

October 21st, 2010
12:48 pm

This borderlines on extortion. Robinson never launched himself, he didn’t lead with his helmet, and he didn’t drive Jackson into the ground. I would like to see a clear cut description of what Robinson did that warranted a fine that substantial. Or a fine of any nature. At what point when a receiver has the football can he be deemed fair to be tackled? Robinson was trying to knock the ball free. Plain and simple. The NFL said Jackson was a defenseless receiver. Jackson had the ball. The officials almost could have called a fumble on the play. I have watched 3 consecutive weeks of OL grabbing, pulling, and tackling our Linebackers and Linemen. Nothing from the officials or the league office. Football is becoming painful to watch, and not in the fun way.

Side note, “chris in HOUSTON TX” please put down your crayons, take off your helmet, and look up what is constituted a dirty hit in football. You may not have enough time to read all of it because there are other people at the library that need the computer other than you. If you run out of time, just go back tomorrow and ask the librarian if you can have more time because you are a good little boy.

Johnny Fever

October 21st, 2010
1:10 pm

@JOEY M, I agree with your assessment.

chris in HOUSTON TX

October 21st, 2010
1:20 pm

JoeyM go sit on Dunta lap naked, as for the hit it was ILLEGAL. So glad he got fined.