Goodell looks at Tuck hit on Bollinger, says fine was too harsh

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The NFL has rescinded a $7,500 fine levied against Giants defensive end Justin Tuck for a hit on Cowboys quarterback Brooks Bollinger on Sunday. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell saw the play for the first time Friday, the Newark Star-Ledger reported. Goodell told Ray Anderson, the NFL's executive vice president of football operations, that the fine was too high. Tuck had planned to appeal.

"Not every penalty deserves a fine, and this is one of them," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said.

Tuck was flagged for driving Bollinger into the turf in the second half. Replays show Tuck wrapping up Bollinger the moment the quarterback released the ball, then partly releasing his grasp on their way down before landing on Bollinger with his full body weight.

NFL information manager Randall Liu, quoted in Friday's New York Times, said Tuck was fined because "he unnecessarily drove the opposing quarterback to the ground."

Golic on Tuck penalty/fine

Mike Golic takes exception to the NFL's fine of Justin Tuck's hit on Brooks Bollinger. These types of decisions are getting out of hand, Golic says. Listen

"Our job description is basically to destroy a quarterback, but you've got to pick and choose how to do it," Tuck said Thursday, according to The Times, after announcing he would appeal the fine. Tuck had 2½ of the Giants' four sacks in a 35-14 victory over Dallas.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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