Texans safety Danieal Manning has been fined $15,000 by the National Football League for his fourth-quarter hit on Saints tight end Jimmy Graham, reports John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.
Manning was penalized 15 yards on the play as Graham was determined to be a defenseless player. The play occurred while Graham was hauling in a 28-yard pass from quarterback Drew Brees. Graham hung onto the ball and 2011 first-round running back Mark Ingram had a 13-yard touchdown run on the very next play to give the Saints a 40-33 win. Signed to a four-year, $20 million contract in July, Manning is earning $2 million in base salary this season.