SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- San Francisco 49ers kicker Joe Nedney was fined $7,500 by the NFL on Wednesday for making an obscene gesture at his home fans during last week's game against New Orleans.
Nedney blamed frustration for his sly gesticulation in the third quarter of the 49ers' 31-10 loss to the Saints at Candlestick Park, their fifth consecutive defeat.
After Nedney made a 29-yard field goal, he booted the ensuing kickoff out of bounds. Nedney tossed his helmet and kicking tee in anger before sitting back on the bench.
That's when a fan's obscene comment prompted Nedney to rub the back of his skull with his middle finger -- an image captured by television cameras.
"It was the culmination of a frustrating day for me," Nedney said. "Rather than taking a deep breath and counting to 10, I heard something that rubbed me the wrong way at the wrong time, and I made a mistake."
Nedney is 8-for-9 on field-goal attempts, but has intermittently struggled on kickoffs for the 49ers (2-5).
dan5 
