Steelers LB Terence Garvin should be expecting a fine handed down to him pretty soon for the hit he gave Bengals kicker Kevin Huber. According to NBC Sports, the NFL VP of Officiating, Dean Blandino, has confirmed that the hit was illegal and Garvin should have been given a 15-yard penalty for a hit on a defenseless player.
“Huber, he’s a punter. And the key is he’s defenseless throughout the down. So even though he’s pursing the play, he still gets defenseless-player protection. You can’t hit him in the head or neck, and you can’t use the crown or forehead parts of the helmet to the body.”
Huber broke his jaw and cracked vertebrae in his neck and had to be placed on IR thanks to Garvin’s hit. Blandino is now making hits similar to that a focal point for his team of refs.