Football - Rolle Fined for Face Mask Infraction

Arizona Cardinals cornerback Antrel Rolle has been fined $12,500 by the league. This fine took place because of a face mask infraction during his tackle of Larry Johnson in the fourth quarter of last Sunday's 23-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

It is already the second time for Rolle to be sanctioned by the league this season that Rolle. Indeed the cornerback, who was the Cardinals' first-round selection in the 2005 draft, has been fined for a hit considered as excessive by league officials. He was fined $5,000 for a so-called horse-collar tackle of Seattle Seahawks star running back Shaun Alexander in the teams' Sept. 17 game. However Rolle has not been more penalized for this incident. The league's officiating department decided to only fine Rolle after they made a thorough review of the week for one week.

Last Sunday, the face mask infraction took place while there was 2:31 left in the game with the score of 20-20. On a first-and-10 play from the Kansas City 13-yard line, Chiefs quarterback Damon Huard dumped a short pass to Johnson on the left side. The Chiefs' tailback rambled 78 yards, to the Arizona nine-yard line, before Rolle pulled him down from behind. If we look closer on the play, Rolle definitely grabbed Johnson's face mask and seems to have failed to release it.

Officials on the field immediately flagged Rolle for a major face mask infraction. As the play concluded at the Arizona nine-yard line, the infraction was half the distance to the goal line, making the penalty five yards instead of 15, and moving the ball to the Cardinals' four-yard line. Four plays later, Kansas City kicker Lawrence Tynes made a 19-yard field goal to win the game.

Following the tackle Johnson suffered a neck injury and underwent a long series of tests this week. Fortunately the tests revealed no significant damage. Besides even though Johnson missed a couple of days of practice this week, Johnson is listed as "probable" for Sunday's game at Pittsburgh. As for Rolle, who is the eighth overall pick in the 2005 draft, has decided to make appeal of his fine.