You Have To Be Kidding!

Rooney hit with $25,000 penalty
NFL takes action after critique of refs
Saturday, October 28, 2006
By Gerry Dulac and Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Steelers chairman Dan Rooney was fined $25,000 by the NFL yesterday for comments he made about the officiating Sunday in the overtime loss in Atlanta.
Rooney was upset because wide receiver Nate Washington was called for a false-start penalty when the Steelers were hurrying to spike the ball with eight seconds remaining in regulation. The penalty also requires an automatic 10-second runoff, which deprived the Steelers of attempting a winning 51-yard field goal.
"These officials should be ashamed of themselves," Rooney said after the game. "That last call, you don't call that kind of call."
Meantime, a league spokesman said Falcons defensive end Chauncey Davis, who delivered the hit to the head that knocked Ben Roethlisberger from the game with a concussion, was not fined.
Rooney's punishment means the Steelers were assessed $40,000 in fines from the Falcons' game. Washington, Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes were each fined $5,000 for their part in an excessive celebration penalty after Washington's 10-yard touchdown catch.