Seahawks' Richard Sherman fined for hit vs. Buffalo

RENTON, Wash. (AP) Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman confirmed Thursday he's been fined by the NFL for his hit on Buffalo kicker Dan Carpenter in last Monday's game against the Bills.

Sherman said that the explanation from the league makes it nearly impossible for him to appeal the $9,115 fine. Sherman said the league's justification in its letter to him was that his hit on Carpenter as he attempted to block a field goal attempt at the end of the first half came after the whistle was blown.

Sherman said he won't appeal the fine. ''It would be a long, thoughtless process,'' Sherman said. ''Their logic is impeccable so there's not really a fight. I'm still fine with everything.''

Sherman was not penalized for unnecessary roughness on the play. He was flagged for being offside, but referee Walt Anderson's explanation after the game said he didn't believe the contact was excessive enough to warrant an unnecessary roughness penalty.

NFL head of officiating Dean Blandino later said that interpretation was incorrect and that Sherman should have received a personal foul on the play, an interpretation that Seattle coach Pete Carroll agreed with.

Sherman's argument was that while he was clearly offside, he was playing until the whistle, which he said he never heard. Sherman said he wasn't about to give Buffalo a free play knowing that if the kick was made the penalty would have been declined.

''People don't understand free play rules. The only reason people understand them to any degree because there are so many of them nowadays with (Aaron Rodgers) and guys like that and they don't realize the plays aren't called dead until the refs call it dead,'' Sherman said. ''And usually when the quarterback sees the rusher coming they spike the ball, the play is over. That's usually how it goes. If nobody is coming, they get a free play, they take a shot at the end zone. We've won games like that, we've thrown touchdown passes. But when the other team keeps playing, you keep playing.''

The non-call on Sherman became the focal point of Seattle's 31-25 victory Monday. The lack of a personal foul became crucial to the outcome. Carpenter eventually missed a 54-yard field goal on the final play of the first half. Without those three points, Buffalo was forced to try for a touchdown in the closing moments of the game rather than being able to attempt a field goal that could have tied the game.

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