National Football League roundup
Oct 19 (The Sports Xchange) - Pittsburgh Steelers safety Mike Mitchell has been fined $48,620 by the NFL for his late hit of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith last Sunday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter
Mitchell is in the process of appealing the fine, per Schefter.
The hit occurred in the fourth quarter of Pittsburgh's 19-13 win. Mitchell came in from behind and tackled Smith at his knees.
Smith immediately got up and shouted at Mitchell. Mitchell received a 15-yard penalty for the hit. On Monday, he claimed that he tripped and was shoved by a teammate before tackling Smith.
"I'm not a dirty player," Mitchell said via ESPN.com. Smith called Mitchell's hit "as flagrant as it gets" on Tuesday.
Mitchell, 30, has been fined twice before by the NFL for unnecessary roughness.
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The Washington Redskins placed rookie defensive end Jonathan Allen on injured reserve, one day after he underwent foot surgery.
Allen is expected to miss about eight weeks but the Redskins aren't ruling him out for the season. Teams can return two players off injured reserve during the season, which leaves the door open for a potential return by Allen.
The first-round pick (17th overall) out of Alabama started each of Washington's first five games and has 10 tackles and one sack. He suffered the injury during the fourth quarter of Sunday's victory over the San Francisco 49ers.
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The San Francisco 49ers released veteran cornerback Leon Hall and re-signed tight end Logan Paulsen. Hall was let go just nine days after signing with the club.
A former first-round draft pick in 2007, Hall spent his first nine seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals before playing for the New York Giants last season.
Paulsen, who was released by the 49ers on Tuesday, was signed to a one-year deal. He appeared in San Francisco's first six games but did not have a catch.
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Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan thinks he knows why President Donald Trump has had the NFL in his crosshairs. Jealousy.
"This is a very personal issue with him," Khan told USA Today after Wednesday's owners meetings concluded in New York regarding Trump's insistence that the league's players should all stand during the national anthem.
Trump attempted to buy the Buffalo Bills in 2014, but his bid failed. Khan believes that might be fueling the president's unrelenting criticism of the widespread player protests during the anthem this season.
Khan was one of seven NFL owners who made financial contributions to Trump, donating $1 million to his inauguration fund. Khan said he does not regret making the donation.
