Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press
The steepest of the four fines the former Steelers linebacker James Harrison incurred in 2010 stemmed from a vicious helmet-to-helmet hit he delivered on Cleveland Browns receiver Mohamed Massaquoi, knocking him out with a concussion. The hit went without penalty on the field, but the N.F.L., intent on meting out stiffer discipline for violations of player safety, docked Harrison $75,000 — at least some of which, Harrison claimed on a podcast Thursday, was offset by his coach, Mike Tomlin.
Harrison, appearing on Barstool Sports’s “Going Deep” podcast, told his former Pittsburgh teammate Willie Colon that Tomlin — who still coaches the Steelers — slipped him an envelope soon after the fine was levied.