The NFL reportedly fined Denver Broncos tight end Julius Thomas for his chop-block Sunday on Arizona Cardinals defensive end Calais Campbell. The injury, which could have been a lot worse, left Campbell with a MCL strain that could sideline him for up to three weeks.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Wednesday the league had fined Thomas $8,268 for his diving block on Campbell. Cardinals coach Bruce Arians called it dirtiest play he had ever seen in all 37 years of coaching.
"You'll never convince me it wasn't premeditated," Arians said Monday, via ESPN. "The one guy set him up."
Campbell's teammate, linebacker Larry Foote, felt similar outrage.
"Everybody - current players, ex-players - should be disgusted with that play," said Foote. "I heard commentators trying to mock B.A., but show me a player that's dirtier? There's nothing that's going to be dirtier. Maybe you can match it, but [it] ain't going to be more dirty. I'm waiting to see what the league does because that looked like Karate Kid - 'Sweep the leg, Johnny.' It was ugly. That's a black eye to football. Period. Even their players know it."
Thomas expressed his remorse for hurting Campbell and insisted it was not intentional. Broncos coach John Fox agreed the block wasn't intentional and defended Thomas.
"Cut-blocking is allowed in the National Football League. It is utilized by everybody in the league, but you cannot have the tackle engage and cut block at the same time," Fox said. "But that in no way was intentional, never been coached by me or anybody on my staff or any player we have on our football team. ... I believe that's our first chop-block called in our tenure here in our four years. It was a look we had not seen much of."
Denver scored 17 points after the loss of Campbell in the third quarter, opening the lead from 24-20 to 41-20. Thomas finished the game with two touchdowns.
