San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks has been fined $15,750 for his hit on Drew Brees in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 23-20 loss to the New Orleans Saints.
Despite the disapproval of the penalty by some NFL observers, Dean Blandino, the NFL’s vice president of officiating, said his officials made the right call. Blandino said even though Brooks initially hit Brees in the chest, he earned a penalty when his arm rose and hit the quarterback in the throat.
The rule goes:
“You can’t make forcible contact to the head or the neck area, even if the contact starts below the neck and rises up. If there’s force to that contact, it’s a foul.”
Brooks’ agent has already said he will appeal the fine.
