Fine system on hits unlikely to deter Steelers

By Jason Cole, Yahoo! Sports

INDIANAPOLIS – Give the NFL a lot of credit for devising a new Rooney Rule.

It’s just not the type of legislation in which Pittsburgh Steelers co-owner Dan Rooney would want to be associated.

The NFL took a significant step toward corralling vicious hits penalties by announcing during its spring meeting here that it will create a fine system for teams that are docked multiple times for devastating blows. NFL senior vice president for Law and Labor Policy Adolpho Birch said Tuesday that he wouldn’t rule out commissioner Roger Goodell applying further sanctions such as stripping clubs of NFL draft choices.

Still, expect the Steelers and their hard-hitting defense, led by finetastic linebacker James Harrison(notes), to get docked some serious coin if things don’t change this year. Clearly, Pittsburgh is the team the NFL is trying to deter most at the moment. The Steelers became the collective poster child for brutal hits during the 2010 season as Harrison was fined a total of four times for a combined $100,000.

“The Steelers change? …” an AFC head coach asked rhetorically, laughing after getting word of the new system. “It’s a nice try, but Mr. Rooney might as well just write out the check right now. Whatever they charge, the Steelers are going to pay.”

You can also be sure Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin will use the new rules as fodder for his players, feeding their perception that the NFL is after them and the only way to prove their greatness is to hammer everyone in their path.
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