Though Patriots safety Brandon Meriweather escaped a suspension after launching himself helmet-first into the head of Ravens tight end Todd Heap, the hit to Meriweather’s wallet ended up being even more costly than a one-game suspension would have been.
As MDS has pointed out, Meriweather has been fined $50,000. But based on a base salary of $550,000, a one-game suspension without pay would have cost Meriweather $32,352.
Some think that Meriweather avoided a suspension in part because Pats coach Bill Belichick immediately removed him from the game after he delivered the hit.
For Falcons cornerback Dunta Robinson, the $50,000 fine represents only a small chunk of his weekly salary of $294,000, in light of his base salary of $5 million. For Steelers linebacker James Harrison, the $75,000 fine equates to nearly two game checks; his base salary is $755,000.