Dashon Goldson avoids suspension for hit on Jaron Brown

The Bucs safety will not be penalized for his hard hit on the Cardinals wideout.

Sep 30, 2013, 4:59 PM UTC

Rob Foldy-USA TODAY Sports

Update: Dashon Goldson will not be suspended for the hit he laid on Jaron Brown on Sunday, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. There is no word yet whether Goldson has been dealt another fine.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Dashon Goldson has developed a reputation around the NFL as one of the hardest hitting safeties in the league, and that reputation might be the cause for a suspension in the near future. ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that the NFL is discussing a possible suspension for Goldson after a hit on Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Jaron Brown drew a flag for helmet-to-helmet contact.

Goldson, 29, was issued a one-game suspension for his helmet-to-helmet hit on New Orleans Saints running back Darren Sproles in Week 2, but the suspension was overturned after an appeal and he was instead given a $100,000 fine. With the benefit of the doubt no longer on his side, Goldson's latest infraction could draw a suspension that sticks, even though the hit wasn't as egregious as the first.

Sander Philipse of SB Nation’s Buccaneers blog, Bucs Nation, argued on Monday that the hit in question might not have even been illegal:

Goldson has his head turned to the side, he’s hitting the receiver in the chest with his shoulder and there appears to be no contact to the head/neck-area. Brown looked like he suffered a concussion on the play, but that probably occurred when he hit his head on the ground.
I had no problems with the previous fines issued to Dashon Goldson. But suspending him for this hit would be a travesty.

A two-time Pro Bowl selection, this is hardly the first time Goldson's seen trouble for his aggressive hitting style. Flagged an NFL-most 16 times for personal foul penalties since 2009, the former San Francisco 49ers safety has only played four games with the Buccaneers and has already racked up multiple fines, including $30,000 for a hit on New York Jets tight end Jeff Cumberland in Week 1.

Goldson also earned a $21,000 fine in 2012 for a helmet-to-helmet hit on former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez that sent Goldson to Twitter to voice his displeasure.