"The NFL fined Ryan Clark $40,000 for a hit from Sunday's game at Heinz Field and the Steelers safety is angry about it. So, too, is his head coach and his quarterback.

Clark said Mike Tomlin informed him of the fine and said the hit, on Baltimore tight end Ed Dickson was used by the Steelers coach to demonstrate a good, clean hit during the team's video review of the game on Monday.

Tomlin was said to be furious when he learned about the fine from the league office today.

"I think the fine that Ryan Clark received was excessive," Tomlin said in a statement issued through the team's public relations department."I am a proponent of player safety and the league's pursuit of improvement in this area. I, like the vast majority of people in this industry, witness daily the steep price that these young men pay to play this game on somany levels.

"Ryan has my full support if he chooses to appeal this in any way.""