NEW ORLEANS — Los Angles Rams’ Nickell Robey-Coleman has been fined for his helmet-to-helmet in the NFC Championship that ended the New Orleans Saints season.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the NFL fined Robey-Coleman $26,739 for the penalty that was not called late in the fourth quarter.
Schefter described the move as "an unofficial statement" on the no-call.
According to NFL Network reporter Tom Pelissero, Robey-Coleman will appeal his fine.
Robey-Coleman committed a blatant interference penalty with a helmet-to-helmet hit on Saints wide receiver Tommylee Lewis well before the pass arrived inside the 5, forcing the Saints to settle for Wil Lutz's 31-yard field goal that made it 23-20 with 1:41 left in regulation.
"Came to the sideline, looked at the football gods and was like, 'Thank you,'" Robey-Coleman said after the game. "I got away with one tonight."
"Not only was it interference, it was helmet to helmet," Saints head coach Sean Payton said. "I don't know if there was ever a more obvious pass interference."
If the pass interference penalty had been called, the Saints could've run most of the time off the clock to set up a winning field goal from chip-shot range. A replay was shown over and over on the Superdome's giant video boards, prompting some fans to toss trash on the field.
It was the first home playoff loss for the Saints with Brees and coach Sean Payton, who had been 6-0 at the Superdome since their pairing began in 2006.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.