Richard Seymour: Fined $25k, but Not Suspended for Striking Ben Roethlisberger

The Oakland Raiders' performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday went from bad to worse when Raiders defensive end Richard Seymour struck Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in the face, knocking him to the ground.

The NFL fined Seymour $25,000 today, but did not give the former all pro a suspension.

After a 22-yard touchdown pass from Roethlisberger to Emmanuel Sanders in the second quarter, Seymour was in a heated discussion with multiple Steelers offensive lineman when Roethlisberger approached the situation and appeared to say something to Seymour, which he took offense to.

Seymour struck Big Ben with an open hand to the jaw, knocking the Steelers quarterback to the ground. Roethlisberger was not injured and played the rest of the game.

Seymour however, was given a personal foul, and was ejected.

The Raiders must now regroup from the first game after their week 10 bye, but were surely glad to learn their defensive star will be available for their next game against the Miami Dolphins.

The NFL should have suspended Richard Seymour for at least one game, and his past history involving illegal hits is reason enough.

Seymour was fined twice last season by the league for illegal hits, including a $7,500 fine for pulling the hair of Denver Broncos lineman Ryan Clady, and a $10,000 fine for a hit after a play against Cleveland.

The 35-3 drubbing the Raiders suffered to Pittsburgh on Sunday was a very physical game, and the Steelers alone were penalized 14 times, including six personal fouls.

No matter how chippy a game becomes, players need to act professional and maintain their composure. It's never alright to hit someone after a play, especially in the head.

Seymour has shown numerous times in his career that he has a problem with letting his emotions get to him. These past altercations combined with Sunday's hit on Roethlisberge...

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