NEW YORK -- Pittsburgh safety Troy Polamalu, the 2010 NFL defensive player of the year, was fined $10,000 on Friday by the league for talking on a cell phone while in the bench area during Sunday's win over Jacksonville.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Polamalu was calling his wife to assure her he wasn't seriously injured. He sustained what the team called a "very mild" concussion and was removed from the game as a precaution.
Possession of cell phones in the bench area during a game is prohibited beginning 90 minutes before kickoff through the end of the game. Tomlin said it was a team doctor's phone Polamalu used.
More fines: Green Bay Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk was fined $10,000 by the NFL for an obscene gesture during last week's win over St. Louis. Hawk gestured to the Packers' sideline after making a play and was caught by television cameras. Teammates Clay Matthews, a linebacker, and Tramon Williams, a cornerback, were fined $5,000 each for wearing nonconforming shoes with their throwback uniforms.
Redskins LB Brian Orakpo was fined $15,000 for roughing the passer with a helmet-to-helmet hit on Philadelphia's Michael Vick. Also nailed for $15,000 for the same infraction were San Francisco LB Aldon Smith, who struck the Lions' Matthew Stafford below the knee, and Minnesota DT Kevin Williams for hitting Chicago's Jay Cutler in the head/neck area.
Atlanta: Rookie receiver Julio Jones likely will miss his second straight game with a strained left hamstring when the Falcons visit Detroit on Sunday. Jones, the NFL's No. 6 overall draft pick, is listed as doubtful.
Cleveland: Starting linebacker Scott Fujita will not play Sunday against Seattle because of a concussion.
Houston: Andre Johnson will sit out Sunday's game at Tennessee as he continues to recover from a right hamstring injury. The star receiver has missed the past two games.
New Orleans: Center Olin Kreutz, 34, has informed the Saints that he is leaving the team after losing his passion for football.
Oakland: The Raiders brought in three free-agent kickers for workouts after Sebastian Janikowski missed his second straight practice with a sore left hamstring. Former Lion Dave Rayner (Oxford, Michigan State), Ricky Schmitt and Rhys Lloyd took turns kicking field goals and kickoffs.
St. Louis: Sam Bradford (ankle sprain) missed practice again, raising the possibility that A.J. Feeley will start at quarterback.
Seattle: Charlie Whitehurst is expected to start at quarterback. Tarvaris Jackson is doubtful after suffering a strained right pectoral.
http://www.freep.com/comments/artic...9/NFL-roundup-Troy-Polamalu-fined-10-000-call