Jermichael Finley surprised that George Iloka was fined

Bengals safety George Iloka was fined $15,000 after hitting Packers tight end Jermichael Finley that forced him out of the game.

Iloka disputed the fine last week, saying:

"He was coming at me head first and I was just trying to make a play on the ball and knock it out with my hand and his head happened to hit my lower bicep area and caused a concussion," the second-year safety said.

"You can’t do anything but let them catch the ball," Iloka said. "Unless there’s a new rule that you have to let players catch the ball, you just have to eat that fine. I’d rather take whatever the fine is than let a guy make a big catch on third-and-whatever."

One person that agrees with Iloka's perspective is that player that the second-year safety hit.

"I thought it was a great hit," Jermichael Finley said via Fox Sports Wisconsin. "I didn't think it was dirty at all. That's my opinion. If I was the safety, I'd do the same thing. It's a part of the game."

"I was a little surprised (that Iloka got fined), but you know how the league works and how they do their fines," Finley said. "But I was surprised that he got hit (with a fine). I thought it was a clean hit."

Green Bay had a bye week last week, but he wasn't expected to participate had the Packers played.

"It took several days," Finley said via ESPN. "I took my bye week, rested up a little, came back in Monday and did several tests, went to the hospital and did a couple tests.

"It's a long haul. You have to do several things to get back, and you have to respect the league for doing it. It's much respect from me."

Finley returned to practice after being cleared on Wednesday.