Ryan Clark On Potential Fine: 'I Will Be Ticked Off If I Get It'

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Ryan Clark told the Tribune Review that he does not expect to get fined for his hit on Jets receiver Braylon Edwards.

"No, I'm not, and I will be (ticked) off if I get it," Clark said. "It's Christmas, man. There is a picture of it in the hallway, so if I do get one I am going to hold up a picture to my face so the NFL can clearly see it."

Clark was given a 15-yard penalty for the hit on Edwards in Sunday's game, but he insisted that he did nothing wrong.

"I didn't hit him in the helmet," he said. "There wasn't any head-to-head contact. My arms are actually in front of me, and if I can't do that then I can't play football."

The 31-year-old also said that he would do the same thing "10 out of 10 times."

Scroll down to watch the hit.

WATCH:

Comments

[chuychrist]

06:42 AM on 12/24/2010

Both defense and offense should be penalized for leading contact with the helmet. Why does the offense get a pass when the defense does not. I'm just sayin'.

[Cimms]

04:45 PM on 12/23/2010

Obviously a clean hit. I haven't heard of any fines unless I am missing something.

[Dunkleberger Karl]

10:47 AM on 12/23/2010

arm to his chest, pre contact you lowered your head! to under his helmut !
Fine heck, you deserve a suspension!

[LCDTV]

10:45 AM on 12/23/2010

a very clean hit. so what if this was flagged. refs have been flagging phantom fouls for 20 plus years. it is way to late to make fuss about it now.

im still for penalties for using your helmet as a battering ram.

[0fthedead]

05:01 AM on 12/23/2010

A referee making a call people disagree with: not newsworthy. A Steelers player complaining about it: newsworthy. For as much as the Steelers talk about being tough in spite of the rule adjustment, there sure is a lot of crying coming from their end. I'd be sympathetic to the Steelers if they weren't already known for their helmet hits and frequently leaving the ground to make "tackles".

[fuzzynormal]

09:54 PM on 12/22/2010

NFL is taking the game in a ridiculous direction. If you want to see how dumb rules have ruined a game, see modern NHL vs. the traditional game. Pathetic.

This is the path the NFL is on.

What's really galling is that the league office is blatantly backing up bad calls by levying fines AFTER looking at the reviews. They don't want to undermine their refs, even though they're absolutely awful these days.

[CANTHATBE]

08:51 PM on 12/22/2010

As far a fine, it is a non story. Its almost most thursday and fines usually come down no later than 2 days after the game. I doubt if the league would think this was a penalty looking at the replay.

[wscherry]

08:32 PM on 12/22/2010

False, you may not know this but when you play in the national football league or for any recognized team you are required by law to sign a waver that says you understand all the risks of playing the game. By having a penalty for hitting with the head is completely rediculous, be a athlete and get out of the way. If you are going to throw a flag on a defensive player for hitting with the head then when a offensive player lowers there head while running with the ball they should be penalized.

[awa611]

09:33 PM on 12/22/2010

I've been preaching the same thing for WEEKS!!!! Watch how many times it's the ball carrier's fault for lowering his head at the last moment. All the time.

I'll fan ya!

[wscherry]

08:22 PM on 12/22/2010

what a terrible call, if they are going to uncontrollably fine/ penalize defensive players for tackling to hard then how the game of football is going to drastically change for the worse. Im from the South and i think i might start watching hockey.

[Morgantheaxe]

08:09 PM on 12/22/2010

Where is the sense of humor of the defensive backfields in the NFL? I mean really??? Has NO ONE in an NFL backfield thought of taking the field dawning a tu tu in protest? I mean cmon guys. This is screaming for sarcasm.

[troutboy]

06:14 PM on 12/22/2010

The refs don't have the benefit of a replay there on the field. Their job is to enforce the rules while the game is going. They have to make split second judgements at real time...which is fast in the NFL.

Fans and players are complaining about the new rules. The NFL is a business...a billion dollar business...its entertainment. They are trying to avoid a death or total paralysis on national TV. You wanna see rule changes? If a player is killed in a game, there will be rule changes that REALLY change the way the game is played.

[anpu]

04:54 PM on 12/22/2010

Phil Simms said that Clark lead with his helmet. That's not exactly correct. If he lead with his helmet then the crown of his helmet would have struck Edwards first! If you look at the film, the crown of his helmet does not strike Edwards. This is not a penalty and the league should not fine him.

[TooTired2Think]

01:18 AM on 12/23/2010

So much for listening to anything Phil (Whimp) Simms has to say! When he played as QB for the Giants he was too busy running the opposite direction and 'intentionally grounding' the ball, much like his tongue lately! All too often the so called sports 'experts' like to hear themselves talk, and count PS as one of the foremost only after 'Motley's Crew' on Monday Night Football on ESPN.

[hamroc1392]

04:42 PM on 12/22/2010

It's outrageous how the NFL is taking out the physicality out of the game. I guess they wanna make sure "certain" players can still keep up with the game & don't get phased out like the NBA . . .

[texlib2112]

04:38 PM on 12/22/2010

Man do I miss the NFL of the 70's, 80's, and early 90's. At least they let them play in College Football. Also, I think coach's should spend more time teaching players how to tackle that alone would help with leading with the head.

I ask myself does Jack Lambert think? What does Cliff Harris think? What does Mean Joe Green think?

[awa611]

09:34 PM on 12/22/2010

Exactly! Those guys were brutal. And no one cried about it.

[texlib2112]

09:46 PM on 12/22/2010

especially the big bad Oakland Raiders Defense Alzado, hendricks, tatum

[Citizen-Jane]

12:09 AM on 12/23/2010

Ronnie Lott.

[Michael630]

04:32 PM on 12/22/2010

In slow motion you can clearly see he is leading with his helmet. His arms may have been in between to a point but you can see the helmet still making some contact with Edwards. Good call and it deserves a fine for him intentionally leading with his helmet.

[hamroc1392]

04:51 PM on 12/22/2010

actually the blunt of the hit came from his right shoulder . . . it just looks brutal because edwards was in flight when he got popped.

[awa611]

09:35 PM on 12/22/2010

You're so wrong.