Saskatchewan Roughriders head coach Craig Dickenson was pleased the CFL handed down discipline for the helmet-to-helmet hit on quarterback Cody Fajardo in Week 1.
B.C. Lions linebacker Jordan Williams was fined for a high-hit on Fajardo.
“I’m glad that the league came out and made a statement or at least expressed their wishes that it was an unnecessarily rough play and fined him for it,” Dickenson said.
“I don’t want anybody to lose money, but I think the league did the right thing by coming out and saying: ‘That was unnecessarily rough and we’re going to fine you because of it.’”
It was the final offensive play of the third quarter at Mosaic Stadium, Fajardo and the offence were backed up against their own goal line. Leos defensive lineman Obum Gwacham had Fajardo in his grasp and as he was falling to the turf, Williams flew in to make contact with the head of No. 7 in green and white. After the 33-29 win, the Riders sent the video to the league office asking for an explanation.
“I think it’s good that they go back and look at the film and the action is actually what they’re addressing. We try to do the same thing on our team. There was a number of times in the game we probably got away with something and we try to make sure that we point that out to our guys,” Dickenson said.
“Did I think Jordan tried to hurt Cody? Absolutely not. He’s a hard-nosed football player that was being physical, but it was a hit to the head and the league made sure that they penalized him financially. I think that goes a long way towards at least discouraging those sort of hits.”
Saskatchewan sends plays to the officiating supervisors every week during the season. Dickenson seeks clarification on close or questionable calls during a given game. There are instances where the league sends video clips out to teams letting them know they got away without being penalized on certain plays.
“Just because it’s not called, doesn’t mean it’s not a penalty. And the same goes on this, just because there was no penalty called, doesn’t mean that’s OK to play that way,” Dickenson said.
“We would have liked to have won the challenge, but at least the league came out and tried to make things right afterwards. I think it’s important, we try to do the same thing, that the league doesn’t necessarily penalize the result.”
Fajardo joked about not being a ‘big enough name’ to get the call in the game, but upon even further review, the CFL admitted it should have been a penalty.
