Colts Erik Walden will be fined heavily, not suspended

Evidently, the NFL has decided that ripping off an opponent’s helmet and then head-butting that player, now without a helmet, is not okay.  However, that egregious act does not rise to the level of being worth a suspension, according to reports.  Chris Mortensen of ESPN is reporting that the Colts linebacker will not be suspended for his actions against the Titans tight end Delanie Walker.  Instead, he will receive a hefty fine.

The NFL suggested that the action of ripping off the helmet alone would have warranted a fine.  The head-butt that followed and landed on Walker’s chin will cause that fine to be significant.  The amount is still undisclosed at this point and Walker made his feelings on the situation quite clear, saying that Walden should have been ejected at the time.

With the NFL’s claims they are focusing on safety and the concern over head injuries, it is at least interesting they are not suspending a player who maliciously took the helmet of an opponent and used his head and helmet as a weapon against a player without a helmet.  The amount of the fine, whenever it is ultimately disclosed will be heavily scrutinized by everyone around the league, but especially the Titans and Walker.  The Titans and Colts play each other again a week from Sunday; this time in Indianapolis.