The NFL issued 31 fines during Week 8 of the season, marking the second-highest total for a single week this year. Notable punishments were directed at Pittsburgh Steelers safety Jaquan Brisker, Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, and Las Vegas Raiders safety Jeremy Chinn for hits that forced opposing offensive players into concussion protocol and sidelined them for Week 9.
Fines for Hits on Watson, Knight, and Wilson
Brisker was penalized $17,911 for a blow to the head and neck area of Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson. The incident happened less than 90 seconds into the Steelers’ victory and resulted in a roughing the passer penalty, which Brisker criticized after the match.
Brisker expressed his frustration with the call by stating, “Babying the quarterback.” He added, “He’s laying there crying, whatever he was doing. It is what it is. I assume I’m going to get fined because if you watch it, I’m hitting him with my chest and them I’m off to the side. But he had his binky today, so they threw it out there. It is what it is.”
Watson briefly exited the game before returning to finish it, and although he cleared concussion protocol by Saturday, the Browns named Shedeur Sanders as their starter for Week 9.
Overshown received a $9,528 fine for using his helmet to hit Arizona Cardinals running back Bam Knight. The collision forced a fumble recovered by the Cowboys without drawing an on-field flag, but league review led to the subsequent fine. Knight did not practice during the week and was ruled out for the Cardinals’ divisional matchup against the Seattle Seahawks.
Chinn was fined $17,911 for hitting a defenseless player following a forcible helmet-to-helmet collision with New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson near the sideline. Although Wilson remained on the field for the final play of the game, he reported concussion symptoms the following day and was placed in protocol by midweek, ruling him out for the Jets’ game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
League-wide statistics show that 223 plays have resulted in fines this season, accounting for 0.0113% of all plays through the first eight weeks. The 31 penalties in Week 8 trail only the 38 fines handed down in Week 2.
