Cooper had his helmet removed and his head slammed into it by Jones during Cincinnati’s 33-13 victory. Jones was penalized for unnecessary roughness, but avoided an ejection. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones has been fined $35,000 by the NFL for Sunday’s incident when he slammed Oakland Raiders receiver Amari Cooper’s head into his helmet.
Jones confirmed the fine Wednesday and said he will appeal.
Cooper had his helmet removed and his head slammed into it by Jones during Cincinnati’s 33-13 victory. Jones was penalized for unnecessary roughness, but avoided an ejection.
The NFL said Monday that Jones would not be suspended for the incident.
Cooper said after the game that he thought the officials would have handed down a “harsher penalty” if they had a better view of what Jones did.
“Football is a physical game,” Cooper said Sunday. “Things like that happen. … I feel like the refs didn’t see it well. If they did, they probably would’ve given a harsher penalty. I don’t think he should be suspended. We were just playing physical. I should’ve been playing physical. Honestly, I didn’t even know I hit my head on the helmet.”
Jones has played in every Bengals game since the start of the 2012 season.
“Whatever you seen, that’s what happened,” Jones said after Sunday’s game. “I’m not going to get into all that. I’m here to play football. I don’t back done from nobody and I ain’t out trying to start nothing. I’m just out playing football.
“There, I was ‘in the moment’ in that play. Like I said, we’re just out playing football. I’m not out to do that. I don’t want to hurt my team by no form or fashion but I’ve got to make sure I protect myself.”
