In the world of New Orleans Saints safety Roman Harper, a cheap shot on Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith was worth the $15,000 fine.
Harper hit Smith in the end zone after a 54-yard touchdown reception, sparking a brief fight.
“Oh yeah, it was (worth it),” Harper said, according to Mike Triplett of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. “I think it was good for our team. There’s no bad publicity.”
Harper said his action was motivated because he didn’t want Smith to “just walk it in on us.” If that’s the case, maybe the Saints should have defended better on the play. Smith claimed he needed to slow down before he reached the end zone because he didn’t want to have a collision with the wall.
The best part? These two teams meet again later this season.
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Brad Biggs covers the Bears for the Chicago Tribune