Steelers’ Mike Mitchell Receives $48K Fine for Hit on Chiefs’ QB Alex Smith

Mike Mitchell received a hefty fine for his late hit on Chiefs QB Alex Smith.

Photo by Jacob Kupferman/CSM/REX/Shutterstock

ESPN reports that Pittsburgh Steelers safety Mike Mitchell received a $48,620 fine from the NFL for his late hit on Alex Smith quarterback for Kansas City Chiefs. According to sources, Mitchell also received a fine for grabbing Smith’s mask. The Sunday’s game ended with Steelers being on the winning end of the 19-13 score. Mitchell said he will appeal the fine, but didn’t make any further comments. This isn’t the first time he has been fined for unnecessary roughness.

When asked about the hit, Mitchell said he fell into Smith’s legs and that he isn’t a dirty player.

The video shows what it shows. I wasn’t trying to take Alex Smith’s knees out,” said Mitchell. “I went up to him and told him that…It’s just one of those things you don’t want to see in the football game.”

Alex Smith thinks otherwise and considers that Mitchell’s hit flagrant.

I felt like it was extremely late,” Smith said. “I felt there was nothing done there to avoid contact. It was really low from the backside. I thought it was about as flagrant as it gets when it comes to a low hit on the quarterback.

Mike Mitchell played college football at Ohio, where he started 30 of 45 games and had 213 tackles, 3 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, and 7 interceptions for 140 return yards. He entered the 2009 NFL Draft, where Oakland Raiders selected him in the second round with the 49th overall pick. Mitchell’s selection was surprising, since he was widely unknown and projected to be undrafted. Mitchell spent 4 years with the Raiders before signing with Carolina Panthers on a one-year deal. After becoming a free agent, Mitchell signed five-year, $25 million deal with the Pittsburg Steelers. His NFL career stats include 433 tackles, 7 sacks, 7 forced fumbles, and 10 interceptions.

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