Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco, center, is squeezed between Baltimore Ravens cornerback Fabian Washington, left, and linebacker Ray Lewis.
/ AP Photo/Nick Wass
OWINGS MILLS, Maryland (AP) — The NFL fined Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis $25,000 on Friday for two separate plays, including a helmet-to-helmet hit on Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco.
The Ravens said Lewis will appeal the fine.
Both plays occurred in Baltimore's 17-14 loss last Sunday. The league deemed Lewis "unnecessarily kicked the opponent" and later "unnecessarily struck a defenseless receiver."
During the latter play, Lewis hit Ochocinco after a pass from Carson Palmer sailed incomplete, and the 15-yard penalty for unnecessary roughness helped set up the winning touchdown with 22 seconds remaining.
Asked Wednesday if he expected to be fined, Lewis replied, "Probably."
But the standout middle linebacker said that's just how he plays the game.
"If I had to change anything, I would do it the same way I've done it," Lewis said. "I will never slow down my speed, the way I play this game. I've never played this game to hurt anybody.
"But the bottom line is, when I turn to go, I'm like a missile. When I'm locked in, I'm locked in. Whatever's there is there. Worrying about fines and all that, I'll let that take care of itself. The NFL does a great job with that. You call them and discuss it with them."
Asked about the play in which Lewis allegedly kicked a player, coach John Harbaugh said, "It was an inadvertent trip that happened."
