Just a week back, the Colts were up against the Lions. And they were struggling hard. Anthony Richardson tried hard to avert the loss, but he couldn’t. The game ended with a disastrous loss by 6-24. But the QB tried too hard during the game, and the NFL didn’t take it lightly.

The league has earned the moniker ‘ No Fun League‘ for its serious policies to save the players from danger. So, they fined the Colts QB $22,511 for holding a helmet with the unnecessary roughness. But that’s just the tip. Players across different teams were fined more than $140 thousand in total for the same mistake.

Jackson Powers-Johnson, the Raiders center whose snap cost them the Chiefs game by 17-19, was also listed in the list. During the game, the officials flagged him on the 2nd play at the 8:34 mark in the 1st quarter. But the NFL also fined him $8,856.32 for this. The Steelers also feature on the list.

The league imposed a hefty fine of $22,511 on the cornerback Donte Jackson, the same amount as Anthony Richardson. He was caught on film using his helmet with the 5:28 minutes remaining in the game to tackle the Browns WR Jerry Jeudy. The officials didn’t flag him in the game, raising questions. It raises an alarming question about the players’ mindset as they are going all-in for the win. The stage is critical, and teams need points.

Out of 2126 plays in week 12, only 16 (0.75%) were fined. Out of those, 12 (75%) were for the unnecessary roughness alone. Let’s talk about the remaining ones.

NFL issues 4 fines other than those of Anthony Richardson & Co.

In week 12, two players of the Browns crossed the line. Safety Grant Delpit took the mouthpiece out of the WR George Pickens in the 4th quarter. But the unsportsmanlike conduct isn’t acceptable. And the league fined him $11,255 for taunting his opponent. The 2nd one was a bit more serious.

With 10 minutes and 10 seconds remaining in the game, linebacker Jordan Hicks landed on the QB Russell Wilson with full body weight. It could have been dangerous. He was flagged and the NFL also fined him $10,378 for roughing the passer. It shows the league’s approach.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and league executive VP Troy Vincent had cleared their stance on fines in October and had said, “It’s a long-standing policy and we are going to enforce that. We’re going to continue on that focus.” It’s clear that the fines will go up if the players put other players in danger during plays.

However, these are the deciding games which will put them in the playoffs or kick them out of the race. So, the players are fired up. Expect some more competitive action on the gridiron.