Philly's Sims fined $50k for hard hit

Eagles linebacker Ernie Sims was fined $50,000 for hitting receiver Lavelle Hawkins in the Eagles-Titans game on Oct. 24, according to the Associated Press.

It's the first major fine assessed since the league sent a video last month warning teams that heavier fines and possible suspensions would result from illegal hits. Sims was deemed to have hit Hawkins when the receiver was in a defenseless position.

It's not the first fine for Sims, which is another reason for the large amount. Sims has been fined twice before for unnecessary roughness when he was with the Lions. He was fined on Dec. 28, 2008 and again on Sept. 13, 2009.