Carolina Panthers running back Armond Smith fined $15,000 for groin kick
By Stu White
Carolina Panthers running back Armond Smith made headlines (and not the good kind, like you want) the other night when he kicked Albert McClelland of the Baltimore Ravens in the groin after a tackle. The kick, which you can view here, netted Smith a $15,000 fine from the NFL.
Smith has been in the NFL for two years, playing for the Cleveland Browns in 2011 before joining the Panthers in 2012. His career statistics don’t exactly jump off the page. Smith has played in only seven regular season games, accumulating a grand total of two yards rushing on six attempts.
Smith wasn’t the only Carolina player fined by the league today. Panthers safety Mike Mitchell was hit with a $10,000 fine for unnecessary roughness.
(The most ridiculous punishment handed out, however, was the one given to New York Jets quarterback Matt Simms. Simms was slapped with a $7,875 fine for making a gunshot motion with his hands after throwing for a touchdown. I guess the NFL was concerned that the millions and millions of children with Matt Simms Fatheads on their walls would emulate his dangerous actions. Finger guns are no joke, people!).
[Source: USA Today Sports]