updated 4:47 p.m. ET Nov. 24, 2008

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. - Minnesota Vikings defensive end Ray Edwards called his $25,000 fine for hits against Tampa Bay two weeks ago “ridiculous” and “outrageous.”

The NFL fined Edwards on Friday for a late hit on Buccaneers quarterback Jeff Garcia and a leg whip on an offensive lineman.

When asked about it Monday, Edwards said, “We chose to play this game. We don’t cry when we get cracked unexpectedly. That fine is what it is. Just got to go out there and play ball and have fun.”

Edwards is appealing the fine.

“OK, I can respect the first one. I hit Garcia a little late,” he said. “Even during that play I told him, ’My bad. I thought you still had the ball.’ He was running around like a rabbit so I didn’t know if he had the ball still or not.”

But Edwards said he didn’t even know what a leg whip was and wasn’t trying to hurt anyone on either play.

“It’s not like I jumped in the air and intentionally tried to drop-kick him or something like WWF,” Edwards said. “But it happens, so I have to appeal it and see what I can get out of it.”

The other bookend on the Vikings’ defensive line, Jared Allen, has been fined a total of $80,000 this season for hits in games against Houston and Green Bay.

Allen was heavily critical of the league for fines that he deemed excessive on him and other defensive players throughout the league, and Edwards echoed those sentiments on Monday.

“To me, it’s getting outrageous just because I feel it’s slanted more toward the defense than it is the offense,” Edwards said.

Despite the perceived imbalance, Edwards said he doesn’t plan to change the way he plays the game.

“Not at all,” he said. “If you go out there passive-aggressive, that’s when bad things happen to you. You just have to go out there and play ball and have fun.”

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