Chad Ochocino Patriots career almost ended before it started.
A helmet to helmet hit from Bucs Mason Foster just about took his head off. It does appear that Foster tried to use his shoulder to hit Ocho, but Goodell Gotti wasn’t having it and fined Foster $20k which Ocho is trying to reimburse Foster for.
Rookie Buccaneers linebacker Mason Foster may have two first names, but he doesn’t have a lot of money. He’s a rookie, and a third-round pick, which means $20,000 means more to him than it does to, say, Chad Ochocinco, the Patriots receiver Foster hit in last Thursday’s preseason game.
So when Roger Goodell fined Foster the same $20K today, Ochocinco (who had complimented Foster on the hit on Twitter) decided he wouldn’t stand for it.
ochocinco: @nflcommish Dad no disrespect but I don’t agree with @mason_foster fine n I’ll be reimbursing him personally. Please feel free to contact me
The NFL has already said they would fine Ocho if he tried to pay the fine, if he gives him $20k as a gift though, I don’t think there is anything that the NFL can do.
As Deadspin points out $20k is a decent chunk of money for a rookie to be fine for his first offense.
My thoughts are that Ocho is doing what Ocho does and the fine was way too much for someone who doesn’t have a history of violent illegal hits.
But in Goodell Gotti’s world he is the judge, jury and executioner.