NFL Fines Browns' Brady Quinn for Low Hit on Ravens' Terrell Suggs

Cleveland Browns quarterback Brady Quinn has been fined by the National Football League for a chop block on Terrell Suggs of the Baltimore Ravens during Monday Night Football this week. According to a league source, an MRI exam showed that Suggs suffered a severe MCL sprain from the chop block.

Quinn revealed that he received a letter from the NFL on Wednesday, but wouldn't disclose the size of the fine. He simply commented that it was "a good amount." Quinn also adds that he was not trying to hurt Suggs, and has apologized to him and the Ravens.

Quinn threw the chop block at Suggs in the third quarter after an interception, rolling into his right knee. Suggs' agent, Gary Wichard, told press that he fears he could miss the rest of the season. A league source says that there is not yet a timetable for Suggs return, but that he would at least miss the next few weeks, if not more.

Wichard also said:

"That cat should be fined as much as anybody is fined that hits the quarterback. That's ridiculous. I don't understand what he was trying to do. It was blatant. It's absolutely criminal. It's about as nasty as it gets.

The guy had total control and went right for his knee. You can't call that an accident. It was premeditated. The quarterback zeroed in on Terrell's knee. That's absurd. The ball carrier was right in front of him."

Shaun Phillips, a linebacker for the San Diego Chargers, has thrown himself into the mix, commenting that "You just don't do that", and stating that Quinn should be fined $50,000.

Ravens lienbacker Ray Lewis also thinks that Quinn should pay dearly for the hit:

"Heck yeah, it was a cheap shot, when you're running down and you're looking at the quarterback going at somebody's knees who doesn't even have the ball. I want to see if he gets the same fine I got or even higher. Now this man [Suggs] is out four or five weeks because of some baloney like that."

Earlier this year Lewis was fined $25,000 for a pair of hits in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Browns coach Eric Mangini defended Quinn on Tuesday, saying that he believed his apology and that it wasn't intentional. He said:

"I don't think Brady had any intention of hurting someone. It's not something we teach or believe in. I take Brady at his word."

Ravens coach John Harbaugh also doesn't believe Quinn had a malicious intent, however, he says that that doesn't change the fact that it was an illegal hit:

"There is no question that it's beyond the rules. It's absolutely illegal. I'm sure Brady knows that. I don't think for one second that he's trying to hurt Terrell Suggs. But he's got to be better than that in that situation. You can't let that happen."