PITTSBURGH -- Steelers linebacker James Harrison's hard hits on the field keep getting matched by the NFL's hits to his paycheck.

Harrison was fined $20,000 on Thursday for a late hit on Saints quarterback Drew Brees, the third time he has been fined this season for a dangerous tackle.

The penalties total $100,000, including a $75,000 fine for his Oct. 17 helmet hit that left Browns wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi with a concussion.

"The amount of money is becoming an issue," Harrison said Thursday. "The fines that they issued to me, two of them weren't even called penalties. I don't even know what to say anymore."

The $75,000 fine was issued two weeks ago, when the NFL adopted its tougher stance on hits to the head and neck -- a policy that caused Harrison to briefly consider retiring.

Defensive backs Brandon Meriweather of New England and Dunta Robinson of Atlanta were fined $50,000 each that week for what the league termed flagrant violation of safety rules, but Harrison drew a bigger fine because he was a repeat offender.

Harrison also was fined $5,000 for slamming Titans quarterback Vince Young to the turf on Sept. 19. Neither the Massaquoi nor the Young play drew a penalty.

After Harrison slammed into Brees' back during Pittsburgh's 20-10 loss Sunday night, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell summoned the three-time Pro Bowl linebacker to New York on Tuesday to talk about the NFL's stricter enforcement of dangerous hits. Harrison termed the meeting "semi-productive," and said it included a discussion of the Brees hit.