Golden Tate fined $21K for blindside block on Cowboys' Lee

The Seahawks' Golden Tate was fined $21,000 for a blindside block. (Jay Drowns/Getty Images)

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Golden Tate was fined $21,000 for blindsiding the Dallas Cowboys' linebacker Sean Lee in a Week 2 matchup, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com:

"I knew that I didn't hit him in his helmet," Tate said after the game. "I hit him somewhere down here [at chest level]. But the rules change so much that you never really know."

The crown of Tate's helmet hit Lee in the chest and chin in Seattle's 27-7 win over Dallas.  The hit was illegal because it was a blindside block; Lee was considered a defenseless player in the eyes of the NFL because he didn't see the block coming. After he was hit, he was seen on his back with his feet in the air and was taken off the field to be evaluated for a concussion. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said he expected Tate to be fined.

With Lee on the ground, Tate celebrated by strutting around the field flexing his muscles, a move that the Cowboys didn't find all too amusing but one that nevertheless wasn't taken personally by Lee:

"Crackback hits, that's not a definition of toughness," Lee said Wednesday. "A definition of toughness is hitting, squaring up, being able to do your job as hard as you can every single play. That's at least what I believe. Anybody can crackback block."