The NFL fined Tennessee Titans defensive end William Hayes $15,000 for a hit he leveled Sunday against Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan.
Hayes, who was penalized on the play, took issue with the fine and plans to appeal.
"They hit me over the head with a mean fine," Hayes told The Tennesseean on Wednesday. "It was very surprising. They said it wasn't a late hit, that I distributed too much body weight to the quarterback. I don't understand. I hit him and I fell off to the side of him."
Two other fines were reported Wednesday:
» Seattle Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor was fined $40,000 for a helmet-to-helmet hit on St. Louis Rams tight end Lance Kendricks on Sunday, a league source told ProFootballTalk.com. Chancellor was fined the previous week for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Anquan Boldin.
Chancellor wouldn't confirm the amount of his latest fine, but he said he made his best effort to avoid another such collision.
"Being a tall DB like I am, I was aiming for the guy's chest," Chancellor said, according to the Tacoma News Tribune. "While he was falling on the way down, I turned my head to the side like they asked me to do from the previous week and led with my shoulder. And when he fell down his head went into my shoulder, and that's the call. And they were looking for that call, so that's what happened."
Chancellor said he wouldn't be deterred from playing his style of football.
"They ask me to compete," Chancellor said. "They tell me to stay in the middle of the field and protect the middle. So I'm going to compete like I know how to. Try to hit it as correctly as they want me to, and just play the game like I know how to."
» Carolina Panthers cornerback Captain Munnerlyn was fined $5,000 for violating the NFL's uniform policy, SportingNews.com reported. The shoes Munnerlyn wore Sunday against the Detroit Lions had too much blue in them, according to the website, which also reported that Munnerlyn plans to appeal the ruling.
The NFL fined Chicago Bears wide receiver Earl Bennett twice this season for wearing orange shoes that violated the league's dress code.
