Chase Coffman fined $30,000, should have been suspended for hitting Ravens assistant coach

There was no reason for Titans tight end Chase Coffman to run over Ravens special teams assistant Tony Coaxum. Anyone saying otherwise is delusional. It was late in the fourth quarter and rookie quarterback Zach Mettenberger was trying to find Coffman along the right sideline. Ravens cornerback Danny Gorrer read the play and picked the pass off.

That's when Coffman, whose momentum took him to the Ravens' bench area, extended his right forearm right into Coaxum's upper body, knocking him to the ground. It wasn't anything folks saw during the game, though obviously the Ravens were aware. They sent the play to the league office and Coffman was fined $30,000 as a result.

Here's the play:

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Good for the NFL for fining Coffman. But this kind of play should have drawn a suspension. This goes beyond docking someone essentially a game check. It was a clear cheap shot on someone not wearing any kind of protective gear on the sideline, let alone expecting to be knocked to the ground. He should be sitting out the game — Monday night's Steelers game — that he won't be paid for.

There's no need for this kind of poor sportsmanship at any level of sports.