Saw the hit - this is a bad call IMO
Chargers' Harrison loses appeal, will sit out Sunday
Oct. 29, 2002
SportsLine.com wire reports
SAN DIEGO -- The NFL upheld San Diego Chargers safety Rodney Harrison's one-game suspension for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Oakland's Jerry Rice.
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Harrison will miss Sunday's home game against the New York Jets and lose $111,764. Counting the loss of his one-game paycheck, Harrison has been fined more than $200,000 for several infractions during his nine-year career.
Harrison, a two-time Pro Bowler, formally appealed Monday at the NFL offices in New York, bringing with him video clips that he said proved he didn't hit Rice helmet-first.
But the Chargers got word Tuesday that Jeff Pash, the league's executive vice president and general counsel, upheld the suspension imposed on Thursday by NFL disciplinarian Gene Washington.
"Essentially, they felt like Rodney committed a foul," coach Marty Schottenheimer said. "We continue to contend that he did not."
Harrison wasn't immediately available for comment.
The hit happened in the first quarter of San Diego's 27-27 overtime win at Oakland on Oct. 20. No penalty was called.
Harrison said Sunday that the team's video of the play shows he used his right forearm and shoulder to hit Rice's left shoulder. The impact knocked Rice's head back, Harrison said.
Washington disagreed. In a letter to Harrison last week, Washington wrote: "On the play in question, which I have carefully reviewed, you made no effort to tackle the player or break up the pass (as did one of your teammates on the same play), and instead engaged in what appears to be a simply gratuitous effort to punish your opponent after the pass to him has been deflected by your teammate."
The hit on Rice was Harrison's third serious rules violation in 18 games. A week earlier, he was fined $12,500 for spearing Kansas City running back Priest Holmes while he was down.
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