Matt Hasselbeck not amused with $15k fine for horse-collar tackle

The NFL has forced former Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck to pay some bills as they levied a $15,750 fine on the current Titans starter. Hasselbeck is not pleased and has appealed the fine.

Hasselbeck ran down Chicago Bears defensive back Kelvin Hayden after a fumble by his tight end. Hasselback tracked Hayden down from behind, pulling him down to the ground and apparently bringing him down by the back-inside of his shoulder pads, which is an illegal play. Hasselbeck apparently put together a photo that showed that while he had his hand on Hayden's jersey, it was on the back, not between the neckpads, which would have been the specified horse collar.

Hasselbeck is not amused by the fine and seems determined to fight this punishment. Kareem Copeland of NFL.com files this report.

"It's funny to other people, not funny to me," Hasselbeck told The Tennessean. "We have rules in place and obviously I was trying to play within the rules, I wasn't trying to hurt anybody or anything like that.

"I have been getting a lot of jokes today. Everyone likes to make jokes. We'll see. The guy who got tackled probably didn't even notice. There was nothing violent about the hit."

Hasselbeck completed 20 of 35 passes for 200 yards, a touchdown and an interception in Tennessee's 51-20 loss to Chicago.