NFL agrees with Vikings safety Harrison Smith: No fine

Tom Pelissero | USA TODAY Sports

Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith was vehement in protesting the flag he drew with a helmet-to-helmet hit on Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Heath Miller in Sunday's game at Wembley Stadium.

The NFL agreed – at least enough to not issue further discipline. A league spokesman said Friday that Smith wasn't fined for the hit on Miller, who also lowered his own helmet after a catch downfield in the third quarter.

Smith said after the game he hit Miller high in part because he knew the ninth-year veteran was coming off a knee injury and didn't want to go low.

"I try to keep my head out of it," Smith said. "I didn't launch, and I don't really know what else to do. There was a play later where I hit him lower, and I didn't want to do it, but I had to. That might have made him mad.

"Ultimately, we're trying to win the game. It's just — it's tough. I really don't know what else to do in that situation."

Smith could have faced a significant fine, since he's been disciplined at least twice previously for violating player safety rules in parts of two NFL seasons.

Two other repeat offenders, Tampa Buccaneers safety Dashon Goldson and Houston Texans cornerback Kareem Jackson, weren't fined for their unnecessary roughness penalties in Week 4 either.

Players who were fined for infractions in Week 4 included:

-- San Francisco 49ers safety Donte Whitner ($21,000 for unnecessary roughness);

-- Tennessee Titans safety Michael Griffin ($21,000 for unnecessary roughness);

-- Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Darnell Dockett ($15,750 for a horse collar tackle);

-- Jacksonville Jaguars end Jason Babin ($15,750 for roughing the passer);

-- Buffalo Bills safety Jim Leonhard ($15,750 for unnecessary roughness);

-- Arizona Cardinals safety Yeremiah Bell ($15,750 for unnecessary roughness);

-- Atlanta Falcons safety Thomas DeCoud ($15,750 for unnecessary roughness);

-- New York Jets defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson ($15,750 for unnecessary roughness); and

-- Detroit Lions linebacker Rocky McIntosh ($15,750 for a horse collar tackle).

Follow Tom Pelissero on Twitter @TomPelissero.

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