Wilfork fined

That's like getting a ticket for almost speeding.

What a bunch of garbage. $15k for no contact??? C'mon Goodell, get a clue. Pretty soon your inflated head won't be able to get through a door.

Get over yourself and stop these ridiculous fines.

I love Wilfork, but this was not how I like to see our team represented. Even an unintended gesture to the eye is out of place, IMO.

This is the third fine for wilfork. Will he get one game suspension?

What an idiot. You might want to think to yourself "Is this a good idea for me to do this when there are 75 cameras watching me."

I believe Vince was not trying to hurt or even poke the guy's eye. But at the same time, though a little high, the fine was not only expected but appropriate. The action, even without intent or malice, was irresponsible. But I think Vince is a stand up guy and realizes this. I would like to hear him say he is sorry though. He seems to imply that he spoke to Jacobs on the field after the game so hopefully there is no resentment there.

My sympathies to Mr. Wilfork. Cris Collinsworth (NBC commentator) should have to pay this fine--he took what was a clearly innocuous gesture in the heat-of-the-moment and talked it up to be some vicious attack.

And thank you for explaining yourself, even though it wasn't necessary. NBC ought to find better commentators to cover their games

Eye contact or not, fingers have no place inside the face mask of another teams player. He stuck them there deliberately, and is lucky the fine was not higher since this is #3 for the year.

Like he said, emotions run high in big games like these. Nobody knows but the players, what's going down on the field. I don't fault him. Who knows what Jacobs was doing to or saying to him. Either way WILFORK IS THE MAN!!!!

If a player from a team that was NOT the Patriots did that to say, Tom Brady, what would our reaction be? Nothing short of outrage.
Collinsworth was right to "talk it up" because it was unnecessary, unsportsmanlike and uncalled for. Bad representation of NE football. You take cheap shots and play dirty, you should have to pay something. NE is no different than any other team yet we get upset when penalties get handed out for or players. Whether it be HGH or cheap shots during a game, it is wrong. Let the commissioner deal with it. When we whine about it we come off as babies. We are 16-0. I don't think the league has put too much of a hurting on us so far.

What state is Goodell from? Just a question on my mind.

We all respect Vince for his play on the field...he is one of the top nose tackles out there. But regardless of intentions, his actions were irresponsible and therefore warranted the fine. It's over and done with now. People should know better than to put blame on Goodell or Collinsworth. Let's move on and enjoy the rest of this great ride we are all on

I understand the heat of the moment thing. Many of us do things we wish we had not done after the fact. He got fined. He can afford it. End of story.

Not only was the fine justified, he should have been ejected as he clearly had an intent to injure. He's lucky the finie was all he got.

You Boston tools are too blinded by the glow of the Pats to not realize that he's lying through his teeth. Of course he was trying to make contact -- and he did! Watch the replay!

The Pats are the most fined team, but of course,
they have the most class of any team and are
the model franchise. Just ask Bob Kraft and
the Pats fans...they'll tell you.

If any other player poked a finger in Brady's eye,
this blog and all of New England would demand
a one year suspension.

You are also too blinded by your hatred of the Pats, JagswillbeatPats. Neither of us knows the real intent, or whether there was actual contact. Only two people know for sure. Just because we might be moderately blinded by our love for the Pats doesn't mean your view isn't also narrowminded.

15k is a bit extreme, the commentators were a bit too extreme and the process of how this came about IS extreme. Right or wrong, is this any way to run a league. Do the NFL folks sit back watching TV in their homes taking notes on who to fine on Monday? Geesh. I don't see anyone fined for scratching their crotch while my daughter is watching with me??? And, number 15...JagswillbeatPats...you got to try some sweet grapes. The sour ones are doing you harm....talk to us when you get some rings.

On similar note in the Orange Bowl last night a player was penalized for 'high-step' into the end zone after a nice TD romp. What's that all about? Over the top.

In his defense, he over-did the Three Stooges marathon this year

90% of this board is coddling Wilfork. He is getting the reputation in the league as one of it's most dirtiest players.

If you actually believe this article then I suggest you go over to youtube.com and search "wilfork eye poke" and watch the video and make up your own minds.

My eyes tell me he forcefully shoves his finger into the facemask of Jacobs. Watch it over and over again. The video doesn't lie.

What is comical is the writer writing

"Some pushing between the teams ensued and Wilfork's finger was seen pointing at the area above the facemask of Giants running back Brandon Jacobs."

That is COMEDY. What? Does the video show him resting his fingers on Brandon's helmet? Hahah !! NO !!

Do some research people. Don't be led around by the ring.

Goodell is on a mission to make the Patriots pay pay pay for the Bill's stupidity against the Jets. Was this incident any different than any player giving a late hit, pushing someone's head in a pile , slapping an opponent's helmet, all of which happened in the last week of the NFL. None of those players were fined. So do I think this is unsportsmanlike conduct? Yes. Is it worth a fine? Yes, if all the other situations I mentioned were fined. Goodell wants to pick and choose his fines with no consistency. Now we know where the officiating in the NFL gets its direction, the same inconsistency. The officiating this year in the NFL has reached an all time low and we now all know where it comes from, the top (Goodell). He has a huge learning curve in front of him and it is obvious he has not been in class. He will fail his first year. Oh, for those of you who think he opened the broadcast for the Patriots-Giants game; wrong. The all mighty dollar was the determining decision. He would have committed political suicide with the fans if the networks did not offer the money the NFL received for broadcasting the game.

If Wilfork made contact to the eye don't you think there might have been a response? Ever been poked in the eye, the guy would have been rolling on the ground. Collinsworth has to make a big deal out something, thats what he's paid for, the problem is he doesn't have a brain. As far as Goodell goes I think he fines his wife for leaving the toilet seat down.

Vince - you can say it was not intentional, and maybe it wasn't, but you still need to control yourself on the field. From the video, clearly you could have ended up poking him in the eye by your gesture.

You're right - there are a lot of times when the heat and emotions get high on the football field. But you're missing the point - you still have to control yourself. It's not an excuse for doing stupid things.

Patriots fan here & I must say I don't know if I'm more disgusted by what Wilfork did or the comments from fellow fans who are quick to dismiss it?

$15,000.00 fine is DEFINATELY not excessive! Patriot fans, players & entire organization should be VERY thankful he wasn't ejected from the game or suspended from AT LEAST 1 play-off game!

STUPID, STUPID MOVE, regardless of what his intent was. Some say he touched him, some say he didn't...so what! It's the action he was reprimanded for and he (and everyone else, especially Jacobs) should be thankful this ignorant move didn't cause injury or permanent vision damage!

Players talk smack on the field all the time, but physical retalliation is unwarranted - regardless of the "emotion" on the field! This was simply bullshyt by a PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE who acted like a 2nd grade child!

It was as bad as the incident with the Titans player that raked his cleat across the face of another player, who was laying on the ground without his helmet. (you know the play I'm talking about)

Losing Wilfork for the 1st-round of play-offs could very well have made a difference in winning or losing the game & that would've been a huge shame for all involved - after the Season the Patriots have worked so hard to deliver. He should be ashamed of himself and so should the rest of his organization.

I hope Belichick kicked him right in the balls after the game for doing something so foolish! After he removed his "cup" of course.

With acts like this & the subsequent support from our fans, it's no wonder we're so hated!

This single incident has made me begin to think the "haters" may actually have a very strong case.

and by the way abhas gupta - Collinsworth isn't even with NBC...he was broadcasting for NFL Network as thier commentator - while being simulcast on the other networks. To go a step further, he was totally right to make a huge stink about it - because that's what it was.

I hope I never see anything like it again.

On February 3rd, Mister Wilfork can take the Lombardi Trophy and stick it up Mister Goodell's ###.

Spread out you wise guys. BJ called him a moe. So VW gave him an eye poke. He's just a victim of circumstances. Why soitenley. $15,000? A mere bag of shells. There going to 19-0 you imbeciles. Woo Woo Woo.

After the first fine for the Buffalo game. Wilfork said 'I have never been known as a dirty player'. Well guess what Vince, three fines later, it's official, You are now.

I don't know if I agree with the amount, but a fine was warranted. Players need to be smarter than that, especially in the playoffs.

Can someone tell me what Brandon Jacobs said about the incident? He's the victim here so we should listen to what he says and not so much how we feel. If he feels Wilfork was deliberate with his actions, then Wilford should have been fined much more and be thankful he wasn't suspended. Frankly, a fine was warranted as you shouldn't go to the face, ever. It could be career ending, intentional or not. Anyway, if Brandon Jacobs feels otherwise or doesn't care, Wilfork bashers and the commentators need to let it go. I don't see Brandon asking for any sympathy, support or help so Wilfork/Patriot bashers should not use him as an excuse to ride the "rip the Patriots" bandwagon. Have the spine to do it out in the open using you're own arguments to support the bashing, if you have any.

contact was made - didn't you see brandon jacobs rubbing his eye afterwards? 15k was a walk in the park for an egregious attempt to injure another player - a suspension would have been more appropriate. what a cowardly excuse.

No fine for the guy who creamed Randy when he wasn't looking?

Too much activity in the heat of the moment. It was fortunate for the Patriots the refs didn't see it. Wilfork is a key member of the defense and, from what I've heard, a great teammate. Let's hope he learns from this and doesn't cost the team in the playoffs. The amount of the fine is appropriate. Give Goodell credit for not being a yahoo like many on this board. There's a good reason he's the commissioner and the weirdos above aren't. If they can't understand his reasoning then it's a matter of them not understanding their own lack of intelligence. Players get fined every week for things that go on during games - it's neither rare or shocking. It's a passionate sport - for both fans and players.

He's a punk,he should have been penalized and pulled for a game.

Fingers intentionally inside the facemask should be a fine every time. Watch the replay, and there's no question that the only reason Jacobs' eye was not poked was Wilfork's fat sausage fingers couldn't reach it.

Now who's dirtier, Wilfork ( embarrasing putting his finger in a guys face mask) or Harrison?

I believe Wilfork's statement. End of story, time to move on.

The guy is a dirty player! He tried to take out Losman earlier in the year! He is a peice of crap! Should have been fined much more, look at the track record!

Amen Newport. Amen.

Now we have Pat fans saying "I don't think he was trying to injure him ..." We have Pat fans saying "I believe Wilfork. Time to move on."

Why is it time to move on? Is it because you don't want to face the truth about your team?

There's one reason you poke at an eye: To injure the eye.

And when you try to injure someone's eye you should be suspended.

How about Patriots Rodney Harrison being fined for using HGH (and admitting it)? How about calling Harrison before Congress to testify next to Andy Pettitte? Is HGH allowed in football but not in baseball? Funny now Boston fans are the most vocal critics of Clemens and Pettitte when there's a ton of cheating garbage right in their own backyard.

Oh, let's see if this gets published. I'll bet my bottom dollar it doesn't.

Wilfork's explanation was just plain justification BS and, although football is vicious, his action was blatant poor sportsmanship. Nice example for the young people watching!
Goodell and Collingsworth should not be victimized either because the officials refused to do their jobs. Are you naive enough to think that not one of them saw what happened? If he had been penalized right then on the spot we could at least feel he was penalized within the framework of the game. He screwed up and should have paid for it right then and there not a week later when it had no effect on the game.
What's 15K to him? Maybe 20% of his game check?
It's kind of like when Belicheat was fined 500K for doing something he was told numerous times was prohibited. Bob Kraft said out of one side of his mouth how disappointed he was and from the other side how he just gave Belicheat a contract extension. Do you think the fines actually phase these people?
Maybe Bob Kraft was so disappointed in Wilfork that he paid the fine for him.

Wilfork intentionally poked him in the eye, and he does not get a suspension? I dont understand. Everybody remember the browns player who go hit with a flag in his eye and he was done in the NFL after that? this is a guys livelyhood and wilfork was trying to take that away. He deserved a suspension, I'm very upset with godell not giving him one. Especially since he has been fined 2 times already this season (this being his 3rd). Very dissapointed with the league, a wrong move one way or the other and jacobs is no longer playin in the NFL. Very dangerous precident set here by Rodger.

I don't know what's worse: Wilford poking Jacobs in the eye, or the Patriots fans that defend his behavior and back his - "I pointed my finger in his face" bullshit response to the situation. This is a dirty team in general. A play like that, however, is particularly dangerous, dirty, and has no place in sports at any level.