Panthers safety Sherrod Martin isn’t a big name, but he may be the player most affected by the league’s recent emphasis on preventing helmet-to-helmet hits.
In October, Martin was held up by the league’s player safety video as an example of what not to do. He took out Giants tight end Kevin Boss early in the season on a vicious and unnecessary late hit to the head.
This week, Martin was quietly fined $40,000 for a similar hit to the head of Browns tight end Evan Moore. As John Czarnecki of FoxSports.com points out, Martin is making the second year league minimum -- $395,000. He makes $23,000 per week so he’s essentially going to work this week for free and work next week for $6,000.
Martin could wind up being held up as a symbol for making player fines a percentage of player salary. Steelers linebacker James Harrison, for instance, still has plenty of millions leftover from his fines to play his kid’s college tuition.
Taking $40,000 from a minimum salary player like Martin is a far bigger penalty.
