The NFL has not fined Dallas Cowboys safety Jeff Heath for his hit on Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Ricardo Lockette from their matchup on Sunday. Heath delivered a hit on Lockette that forced him to leave the game on a stretcher, and forced him to be hospitalized. During the game, the hit was called an illegal blindside block and the Cowboys were penalized.
Cowboys S Jeff Heath not fined for his hit on Seahawks WR Ricardo Lockette
Jeff Heath will not be fined for his blindside block on Ricardo Lockette.
Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Given that it was confirmed a blindside block on the field, many expected there would be a fine. Dean Blandino, the NFL’s vice president of officiating, confirmed after the game that it was a blindside block. Blandino explained that Heath was running parallel to his own goal line and not directly at Lockette from the front, and that there was forcible contact to the head or neck area.
But when it comes to discipline, the league considers more factors than the referees do on the field.
“It’s basically strict liability on the player initiating the contact,” Blandino said of the call on the field. “Now as part of the discipline process, when it’s reviewed during the week, you can consider mitigating factors.”
Those mitigating factors include whether a player changes his head level, something that Lockette did to try and square up and absorb the hit. In other words, the league didn’t feel that Heath targeted Lockette’s head or neck area with a dirty hit, but did confirm that the hit should have been called as it was on the field. That’s why he’s getting a penalty, but not a fine or other punishment from the league.
Lockette is out for the season after sustaining the hit and undergoing surgery to stabilize ligaments in his neck.
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