NFL Fines Players $300,000 for Unsportsmanlike Conduct in Week 2

The NFL fined players more than $300,000 for acts of what the league deemed unsportsmanlike conduct during Week 2 games. The NFL Players Association objected Saturday to at least some of the fines and said it is attempting to resolve them with the league.

Fines were up sharply in Week 2, mainly due to unsportsmanlike conduct violations. According to the NFL’s data, 38 plays in Week 2 drew a fine, up from 20 in Week 1 games.

The NFL announced all of its Week 2 fines Saturday. That list included 22 fines for unsportsmanlike conduct violations totaling $300,089. Of those, 13 were for illegal celebrations and vulgar acts, five for obscene gestures, and four for taunting. Fifteen of the fines were for $14,926; three were for $11,941 each.

A total of 13 players received unsportsmanlike conduct fines. Wide receivers Tee Higgins of the Bengals and Amon-Ra St. Brown of the Lions each received four fines and were fined $59,704 apiece.

St. Brown’s “unsportsmanlike” celebration involved an imitation of smoking. Higgins and fellow Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase did celebrations patterned after The Rock’s “people’s elbow.” 

Chase, Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams, and 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk were fined twice each. Eight other players were fined once each.

Juszczyk and several other players were fined for what the NFL interpreted as beer-chugging imitations. Juszczyk, nicknamed “Juice,” has used the celebration previously during his career. He texted to ESPN this week, “I don’t even drink beer.”

An NFLPA spokesperson told Front Office Sports in a statement Saturday about the chugging celebrations: “[Neither] the players nor the union were given notice that these acts would constitute a fine. In some instances players have been doing these same celebrations for years and they have never been an issue. We are working with the league on how to resolve the fines from last week and how to ensure players have proper notice going forward.”

The players can appeal the fines.

FOS reported last month that the NFL, at the competition committee’s behest, would continue to stress strict enforcement of its sportsmanship-related rules this season. That means keeping a close eye on players violating the league’s rules prohibiting taunting opponents, illegal celebrations, and fighting.