NFL Fines Player $10K for Calling Wife Mid-Game

The NFL isn't making exceptions about its policy that players stay unplugged during games: It fined Troy Polamalu of the Steelers $10,000 for making a call from the bench during last Sunday's game, reports the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Polamalu, though, wasn't showboating or looking for some digital advantage—he borrowed a trainer's phone to call his wife and let her know he was OK after leaving the game with concussion symptoms.

"In this era of player safety, you would think that common sense would prevail in some of these things," says coach Mike Tomlin. "It wasn't a personal call. He wasn't checking on his bank account." Polamalu (for non-fans, he's the big-haired guy in Head & Shoulders commercials) made no comment on the fine. He passed a concussion test and will play tomorrow. (More Troy Polamalu stories.)