LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – The NFL has fined L.A. Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman $26,739 for his helmet-to-helmet hit against a New Orleans Saints receiver during Sunday’s NFC title game, which was not called as a penalty, drawing the ire of the football world.
The fine was first reported Friday by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Tommylee Lewis of the Saints drops a pass broken up by Nickell Robey-Coleman of the Rams during the fourth quarter in the NFC Championship game. Jan. 20, 2019. (Getty Images)
With the game tied at 20, the Saints were driving deep into Rams territory with under two minutes to play in the fourth quarter. On 3rd and 10 and with 1:48 to play, Robey-Coleman crushed Saints receiver Tommylee Lewis with a helmet-to-helmet hit on a throw from Drew Brees while the ball was in the air. The ball fell incomplete and the referees declined to call either pass interference or targeting, forcing the Saints to kick a field goal.
Following the game, Robey-Coleman himself admitted that he had committed a blatant pass interference.
“Came to the sideline, looked at the football gods and was like, ‘Thank you,’” Robey-Coleman said. “I got away with one tonight.”
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If pass interference had been called, the Saints would have received a new set of downs, allowing them to simply run down the clock and kick the game-winning field goal.
The Rams tied the game on a field goal of their own in regulation, then won 26-23 with a 57-yard field goal in overtime to book their ticket to the Super Bowl.