Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh was fined $100,000 by the NFL for his hit on Minnesota Vikings center John Sullivan during Sunday's game but won't be suspended, the NFL announced Tuesday.
The league said in a statement that NFL vice president of football operations Merton Hanks told Suh on Tuesday that he had been fined.
"Suh was penalized for violating Rule 12, Section 2, Article 5 (a), which prohibits blocks below the waist by players of either team after a change of possession," the league said in its statement.
Suh will appeal the fine, a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
The controversial play occurred during an interception return by Lions linebacker DeAndre Levy, who scored an apparent touchdown to give Detroit the lead. But the play was nullified because Suh was whistled for an illegal low block against Sullivan well behind the play. The Lions eventually won the game 34-24.
Suh restructured his contract for this season, changing his payment for 2013 into an $11.5 million signing bonus and a $630,000 salary. His salary puts his weekly checks at $39,375 for the Lions' 16 games, meaning he essentially lost money playing Sunday because of the $100,000 fine.
NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith tweeted Tuesday that he has reached out to Suh.
I have reached out to Ndamukong Suh. We believe that all players have a basic responsibility to each other.
— DeMaurice Smith (@DeSmithNFLPA) September 10, 2013
Several Lions players said Suh apologized to the team Tuesday and to Levy individually.
"He apologized to the team. It was sincere. We accepted it," running back Joique Bell said. "We all a family, and that's our brother. At the end of the day, we all we got. So, it was a good deal. Levy accepted it, so if he can accept it, everybody should be able to accept it."
Quarterback Matthew Stafford said the Lions would rally around Suh.
"He's a teammate of ours, and he's a great player," Stafford said. "A guy that, besides that play, wrecked the game for the Vikings. He was in the backfield the whole game, caused a pick when Tully [Stephen Tulloch] got his pick. Did a great job. Had a great game.
"It's unfortunate that had to happen and it overshadowed his performance, but we stick with him. He's a guy that's an integral part of our team and a great player on defense. Hopefully we'll put this behind us."
The NFL fined Suh $30,000 last season for unnecessary roughness because he kicked Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub in the groin area. He was suspended for two games in 2011 after he stomped on Green Bay's Evan Dietrich-Smith.
Suh has also been fined in previous seasons for roughing up quarterbacks: the Cincinnati Bengals' Andy Dalton, the Chicago Bears' Jay Cutler and then-Cleveland Browns QB Jake Delhomme.
Suh said he wasn't going after Sullivan's knees Sunday, adding the two talked about it at halftime.
"I spoke to him. We're good," Suh said after Sunday's game. "So that's all that matters."
Sullivan said afterward that the hit was part of the game and it was penalized, and on Monday, he didn't seem interested in fanning the flames.
"He apologized and said there was no intent to injure. It's fine," Sullivan said. "I think guys get caught up in the play sometimes, so sometimes things happen. It's hard to even remember what you do when you get caught up in the moment. I appreciate the fact that he came up to me and said something."
New Orleans Saints tight end Benjamin Watson said something must be done in light of Suh's repeated offenses.
"I hesitate to call a player dirty simply because I don't know their intent, but I do know what he did was illegal and I do know he has done it multiple times so it comes a time when enough is enough," Watson said in an NFL Network interview. "We need to get what he is doing rectified and we need to sit down as players and talk to him. We are talking about player safety and obviously this is a play that lies outside of that. As players, we need to hold ourselves accountable."
ESPN NFL Insider Ed Werder, ESPN.com sports business reporter Darren Rovell and ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter contributed to this report. Information from The Associated Press also was used.