Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal reports Friday via Twitter that Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Phil Taylor was fined $7,875 for his blindside hit on Pittsburgh Steelers rookie tackle Kelvin Beachum in the season finale this past Sunday.
Taylor was not flagged for unnecessary roughness on the third quarter play that saw Steelers running back Jonathan Dwyer run off right tackle for 12 yards. The hit on Beachum resulted in him suffering a concussion and he did not return to the game.
Many believe that the hit by Taylor on Beachum was a retaliation act for Steelers guard Doug Legursky attempting to cut block Browns linebacker Craig Robertson in the second quarter.
“It was after the play and he cut me from behind,” Robertson said, via the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “At this point of the season we are playing hard every play, but that\’s something you don\’t do. You can\’t cut somebody from behind like that.”
Ulrich reports that Legursky, who was unapologetic after the game for his play, was not fined for his action.
“I got underneath his skin,” Legursky said of Robertson. “I was finishing a play. He didn\’t like the way I did it. It all stemmed from there.”
Steelers left tackle Max Starks called the actions of Taylor “classless”, but Taylor had a much different opinion of that play.
“It\’s between the whistles, you\’ve got to keep your head on a swivel,” Taylor said.
There were several post-whistle scrums in the game with one resulting in flags on Browns defensive linemen Billy Winn and Ahtyba Rubin following a Steelers extra point attempt. Neither Winn nor Rubin were fined according to Ulrich.
Also not fined was Steelers linebacker James Harrison, who was flagged for roughing the passer on the Browns lone touchdown of the game.
