NFL Fines Players for Violent Gestures and Tackles After Week 11 Games

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride topped the NFL’s fine list announced on Saturday, receiving a penalty of $14,491 for a ‘violent gesture’ made during a game against the San Francisco 49ers. This infraction occurred after McBride completed a 28-yard pass play, when he performed a banned nose-wipe gesture with his right hand.

This fine is McBride’s second this season. He had previously been fined $11,593 for taunting during Week 3’s game against the same 49ers team. Interestingly, the penalty for the taunting was not called during the game.

In addition, 49ers linebacker Curtis Robinson was fined $6,500 for a hip-drop tackle on Cardinals running back Bam Knight that went unflagged. Knight had gained 12 yards on a pass and was tackled well after the play, which could have advanced the ball to the 49ers’ 47-yard line if the penalty had been enforced.

Week 11 saw a total of 23 penalties for similar infractions, with no flags thrown during the games. Among the fines, four were related to helmet usage violations, a category where only one resulted in a penalty on the field.

Of the 220 fines issued this season, 30.9 percent are attributed to the hip-drop tackle and helmet usage violations, with 56.4 percent remaining unpenalized during games. One of the helmet usage fines resulted in an injury to linebacker Tyrice Knight, who suffered a concussion and will miss the upcoming game against the Tennessee Titans.

Elsewhere in Week 11, two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties were noted, one involving Steelers cornerback Jalen Ramsey, while Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase faced a suspension for his actions on the field. Chase will lose $448,333 in earnings due to the suspension.

On the Cardinals’ end, they have now accumulated a franchise-record 17 penalties in a single game, evidencing the team’s ongoing struggles. They fell to the 49ers, trailing 41-22, after displaying poor discipline throughout the match.

In addition, several players have faced fines multiple times this season, including Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens and Lions safety Brian Branch. The total fines for Week 11 reached $296,389, bringing the season total to $2,920,123.