National Football League – The NFL has taken a new approach by publicly announcing fines for rules violations, shedding light on the penalties imposed for infractions during Week 4. A total of 20 players from 13 different teams found themselves facing fines, impacting 0.84 percent of all plays during the week. Here’s a breakdown of the fines by team, player, violation, and the respective amounts:
Arizona Cardinals
- Jalen Thompson, unnecessary roughness, $18,222.
- Ezekiel Turner, unnecessary roughness, $10,927.
Atlanta Falcons
- Bud Dupree, unsportsmanlike conduct, $10,927.
- DeMarcco Hellams, unnecessary roughness, $4,314.
Buffalo Bills
- Stefon Diggs, unsportsmanlike conduct, $13,659.
- DaQuan Jones, hit on a quarterback, $16,391.
- Ed Oliver, unsportsmanlike conduct, $13,659.
- Ed Oliver (second fine), unsportsmanlike conduct, $13,659.
Houston Texans
- Kurt Hinish, unnecessary roughness, $4,879.
Indianapolis Colts
- E.J. Speed, unnecessary roughness, $10,927.
Kansas City Chiefs
- Jawaan Taylor, unnecessary roughness, $16,391.
Las Vegas Raiders
- Amik Roberston, unnecessary roughness, $6,297.
- Robert Spillane, unnecessary roughness, $13,972.
- Jerry Tillery, unnecessary roughness, $10,927.
Minnesota Vikings
- Justin Jefferson, unsportsmanlike conduct, $10,927.
New England Patriots
- Christian Barmore, unnecessary roughness, $10,927.
New York Jets
- Jordan Whitehead, unnecessary roughness, $21,855.
Philadelphia Eagles
- A.J. Brown, unsportsmanlike conduct, $10,927.
Seattle Seahawks
- Geno Smith, unsportsmanlike conduct, $10,927.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Mike Greene, hit on a quarterback, $4,170.
Notably, there appears to be a growing disconnect between on-field officiating and the NFL’s disciplinary procedures for rule violations. An illustrative example is the incident involving Las Vegas Raiders defensive lineman Jerry Tillery, who delivered a late hit on Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, an act that on-field officials deemed serious enough to warrant ejection from the game. Surprisingly, Tillery’s fine amounted to $10,927, significantly less than the fines levied against numerous players for what seem like less egregious offenses.
In some instances, players receive fines exceeding Tillery’s $10,927 for infractions that weren’t even penalized during the game. For instance, Falcons fullback Keith Smith was fined a staggering $87,418, the highest fine issued by the NFL this season, for a hit that went entirely unflagged.
The inconsistency in the league’s disciplinary decisions has raised questions and fueled speculation. It remains to be seen whether the NFL will provide updates on the outcomes of appeals filed by players contesting these fines, as the league continues to grapple with the issue of disparities in its enforcement of penalties.