What Troy Polamalu Can Teach Us About the Law

When Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu suffered concussion-like symptoms in a recent NFL game, he did what any decent husband might do: He walked to the sideline and called his wife Theodora to tell her he was fine. Polamalu, like so many football players, has a long history of concussions, so surely his wife would have been relieved to hear from her husband.

In response, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell fined Polamalu $10,000 for violating an NFL rule prohibiting “the use of cellular phones . . . and other electronic equipment . . . in club-controlled areas, including . . . sidelines.”