Browns Player Fined for Cell Phone Alarm

Last year, Eric Mangini fined a player $1,701 for forgetting to pay for a $3 water bottle. This year, his fines are even more outrageous. Browns cornerback Joe Haden tweeted that a player was fined because his cell phone alarm went off during a team meeting.

"These fines ain't no joke!" Haden said. "Somebody['s] phone alarm went off in the meeting and all Coach Mangini said was, ['That will be] $1760!'"

David Bowens, who played under Mangini in New York and Cleveland, says he has gotten used to fines. "My first year in New York, I got a ton of fines," he said. "I haven't been fined since. It's part of the program. It's part of the regime. He's the boss, and his rules are his rules. It's either be accountable or be penalized."

Bowens says he has been fined for not making weigh-in, missing a meal or forgetting to check in to the team meal, according to a 2009 article in the Cleveland Plain-Dealer.

Bowens will probably not be happy with the way Haden managed the situation.

"The thing that concerns me is family matters are family matters," he said. "If you're ticked off, especially if you make a lot of money, if you're ticked off about a $1,700 fine, then just take it up with your agent. Coach always has his office available. Go talk to the head coach. I think it just takes away from the team concept when you go outside and air it."