Bucs Safety Fined For This Hit On Saints TE Jimmy Graham [GIF]

Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Ahmad Black took a direct cheap shot at the head of New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham on Sunday. As it turns out, the hit won't be cheap on Black's checkbook.

The NFL fined Black $21,000 today. The penalty was egregious, and Black clearly aimed his helmet with intent to injure. Had the play taken place in an NCAA football game, by rule, Black would've been ejected.

As vicious as the unnecessary roughness penalty was, Graham didn't miss a single play. He finished the game with 10 catches, for a career best 179 yards, and 1 touchdown. New Orleans won the game 16-14 to improve to 2-0.

Black wasn't the only Buccaneer called for a personal foul penalty last Sunday. Several Bucs, including safety Dashon Goldson, were flagged on defense. Goldson was suspended 1 game by the NFL, before winning an appeal. Instead of missing Sunday's game at New England, Goldson was fined $100,000.

Black's fine was first reported by Larry Holder of nola.com.