The NFL has fined the Los Angles Rams’ Nickell Robey-Coleman $26,739 for his helmet-to-helmet hit in the NFC Championship against the Saints, according to ESPN.
The NFL fined the cornerback for the hit on New Orleans Saints receiver Tommylee Lewis that was not flagged during the NFC Championship Game, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Friday.
The hit happened when Robey-Coleman appeared to run into Lewis before the ball arrived from Saints quarterback Drew Brees — a controversial play with less than two minutes remaining in a 20-20 game, ESPN reports.
A flag for pass interference would have given the Saints a first down, and a helmet-to-helmet hit would have tacked on an additional 15 yards, ESPN reports.
The Rams won 26-23 in overtime to advance to Super Bowl LIII.
“It was simple. They blew the call. They said it should never have not been a call,” Saints Coach Sean Payton said after the game of the explanation he received. “They said not only was it interference, it was helmet-to-helmet. They just — they couldn’t believe it.”
Robey-Coleman admitted he briefly thought the flag would come out but said that an official on the field told him he suspected the ball was tipped, which replays clearly showed was not the case, ESPN reports.
To read ESPN’s full story, click here.
