Lewis plans to appeal $25,000 fine from NFL

Ray Lewis plans to appeal his $25,000 fine from the NFL for hitting Cincinnati wide receiver Chad Ochocinco, according to ESPN.

A Ravens spokesman told The Sun that he has not heard whether Lewis will contest the discipline. The fine represents 42.5 percent of Lewis’ weekly salary (he makes $58,823 for each of the 17 weeks of the regular season).

The Ravens middle linebacker was penalized for unnecessary roughness in the fourth quarter last Sunday for a helmet-to-helmet collision on Ochocinco. The blow knocked Ochocinco to the ground and dislodged his helmet.
The Bengals used that 15-yard penalty -- one of three flags on the Ravens’ defense during that game-winning drive -- to deliver their come-from-behind, 17-14 victory over the Ravens.

Ochocinco appealed Monday -- via Twitter -- to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to avoid punishing Lewis, writing, "please don't fine Ray Lewis Mr. Roger Goodell, it was a clean hit, it's part of the game, save the fines for me."

The Ravens didn’t expect “any repercussions” on Lewis.

"Watching it on TV, I think it was in the strike zone [which is below the neck and above the knees]," coach John Harbaugh said. "But I'm sure that is something [the NFL] will take look at and we'll find and see. As far as the game, that's a tough call to make either way."



(baltimoresun.com)