Patriots punt returner Danny Amendola has been notified by the NFL of a fine for his hit on Chiefs defender Jamell Fleming in Saturday's AFC divisional game, ESPN reported Friday.
Amendola plans to appeal the fine, according to the report.
MORE: Fantasy rankings for conference championships | SN predicts AFC, NFC winners
Fleming had moved into position to down a punt inside the Patriots' 5-yard line Saturday when Amendola hit him in the head.
Patriots coach Bill Belichick has maintained that Amendola’s helmet-to-helmet block was legal, but the returner was penalized for unnecessary roughness for what Amendola later called "a clean hit."
NFL’s schedule of fines calls for a $23,152 fine for an illegal hit on a defenseless player, according to CSNNE.com.