NFL Fines Nickerson $7,500

Hardy Nickerson of the Tampa Bay Bucs, was fined $7,500 by the NFL Wednesday for spitting on Carolina's William Floyd during their game last Sunday.

Nickerson, who also spit on floyd last season during an altercation when Floyd played for San Francisco, had already apologized on Monday and said he expected the fine.

"I was wrong. I will pay the fine and hopefully put this behind me," he said then.

"What happened is not what I'm all about."

Nickerson was penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct.

A long-time starter in his 12th season, Nickerson was not punished for last season's incident. Last year, Denver Broncos linebacker Bill Romanowski established the cost of salivary indiscretions when he was fined the same amount for spitting on San Francisco 49ers receiver J.J. Stokes.

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