One season after promising to "play within the rules" after being fined heavily for a helmet-to-helmet hit, Chicago Bears safety Brandon Meriweather was punished again Thursday, this time with a $20,000 fine from the NFL for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith last weekend, the Chicago Tribune reported.
Fines aren't officially revealed until Friday, but a league source confirmed Meriweather's punishment to the newspaper.
No flag was thrown on the third-quarter play in which Smith took Meriweather's hit and ran for 22 more yards.
Meriweather was contrite last season as a New England Patriot after being fined $50,000 -- it was later reduced to $40,000 on appeal -- for two helmet-to-helmet hits on Baltimore Ravens tight end Todd Heap. Meriweather told the Tribune that he will appeal this fine, too.
Other fines reported Thursday:
» Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Sidney Rice, who denied making a "throat-slash" gesture when he was flagged Sunday, was fined $7,500 for his action, the Everett Herald reported via Twitter.
» Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey was fined $7,500 for a late hit against Houston Texans linebacker Connor Barwin, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pouncey said he will appeal.
