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Quin Wants NFL To Review Certain Flags, Says Latest Fine Could Pay For College

By: Will Burchfield
@burchie_kid

Glover Quin was flagged for unnecessary roughness for his helmet-to-helmet hit on Tavon Austin in Detroit's game against the Los Angeles Rams last Sunday. On Tuesday, he received a corresponding fine.

Quin felt neither punishment was warranted.

"I thought I went right through here," Quin said, pointing to his chest. "I didn't hit him with my head, clearly turned my head, clearly put my shoulder (first)."

At the locker to Quin's right, Darius Slay chimed in.

"I thought it was a clean hit!" he said.

Because the play occurred in the end zone, Quin felt he had to target Austin above the waistline.

"He's up in the air, he's in the end zone, if he catches the ball and I hit him in in his legs, he can still hold onto the ball. So for me I have to try to hit him in (the chest) to try to dislodge the ball because that's a touchdown if he catches it," Quin said.

"I don't know if there's anything I can do differently in that situation," he added. "When you look at the whole totality of the play and the whole situation of that play, there's really nothing else."

Quin said he has appealed the fine, just as the league instructs its players to do. By his count, he has been fined four to five times in his career for illegal hits, and he has had all of the fines reduced.

He wouldn't divulge the exact amount of his latest fine, but confirmed it was the largest one he has received to date. Per the NFL's fine chart, it could cost him up to $24,309.

"It was a significant amount," he said.

Would it be enough to pay for a year of college?

"If you go to JuCo, it could pay for your whole education," he laughed.

Given the NFL's growing sensitivity to big hits, Quin feels the league should take a second look at plays that result in flags for unnecessary roughness.

"I think it's getting to a point to where it probably should be a reviewable play because that is a huge play in the game and the referees are going to err on throwing the flag," he said. "If they see a major impact like that, they're going to err on throwing that flag. Sometimes it's warranted, sometimes it's not, but it happens so fast so I feel like it should be a reviewable play.

"If they review it and say, 'Ehh, ehh, it's a clean play,' then I don't think it should be a penalty. But, you know, I don't make the rules. So if they're calling it tight, we just gotta adjust."

The NFL will announce the amount of Quin's fine on Friday.

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