Giants DE Tuck fined $7,500

Nov 7, 2008 - 1:01 PM NEW YORK (Ticker) -- New York Giants defensive end Justin Tuck has been fined $7,500 for his roughing-the-passer penalty on Dallas Cowboys quarterback Brooks Bollinger in Sunday's 35-14 victory.

Tuck was penalized in the third quarter when he tackled Bollinger as the Cowboys' backup threw an interception.

"He unnecessarily drove the opposing quarterback to the ground," National Football Conference information manager Randall Liu told the New York Times in an e-mail Thursday, adding that the fine was issued by director of football operations Gene Washington.

Sixth in the NFL with 8 1/2 sacks and has 36 tackles this season, Tuck was unhappy with what many observers considered a questionable penalty and will appeal the fine.

"Our job description is basically to destroy a quarterback, but you've got to pick and choose how to do it," he told the Times. "You can't hit him in the head, you can't hit him below the knees. ... Obviously, you can't hit him hard, either."

New York coach Tom Coughlin said Monday that he didn't think the hit was worthy of the penalty.

"No, it was not (a penalty)," Coughlin said. "On the spot, the official thought it was. The guy was attacking the quarterback. He doesn't have a checklist that he goes through. It is foolish to continue dialogue about this because it doesn't settle anything."