Falcons S Hope fined $30,000

Atlanta Falcons safety Chris Hope was fined $30,000 by the league for a helmet-to-helmet hit against New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz, The Newark (N.J.) Star-Ledger reported Friday.

Hope was penalized for unnecessary roughness on the play in the third quarter of last Sunday's game.

Hope told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution earlier in the week that he thought he would get fined.

"Hopefully, I won't (be fined) but there are rules and regulations," he said. "I'm not a dirty player. It was just a part of the game. I got caught in a situation where I just made a play on the ball. It was a hit that I didn't think was head-to-head, but it's probably going to be a fine."