Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ defensive tackle Casey Sayles has been fined by the Canadian Football League for a high hit to the head of Montreal Alouettes’ quarterback Davis Alexander.
The play came in the fourth quarter of Montreal’s 33-26 victory in Hamilton as Alexander was rolling to his left outside the pocket. Sayles was assessed a Grade 2 penalty for spearing, which gave the Alouettes 25 yards and set up a touchdown pass from backup Caleb Evans to fullback David Dallaire on the very next play.
Alexander left the game to be assessed for a head injury but later returned. His replacement, Evans suffered a season-ending knee injury while he was in the game.
Sayles was a noticeable presence in the backfield throughout the night, finishing with four tackles and a sack. He has recorded 21 tackles and four sacks through eight games, which puts him on pace for a career year.
As per the CFL’s policy, the amount of the fine was not disclosed. The maximum allowable fine under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement is half of a player’s game cheque.
The Montreal Alouettes (7-1) will host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (2-6) for a rematch on Saturday, August 10 at 7:00 p.m. EDT. Both Sayles and Alexander are listed as starters for their respective teams.
