2018 NFL Week 1 Fine/Suspension Blotter

Will be updated through at least Friday and Saturday as research finds more.

Vast bulk of these are from the Associated Press, but also searching Twitter, NFL.com, and other sources for more.

The whole point of this is two reasons:

1. That the league has no real interest in Player Safety.
2. Neither do the players.

• Los Angeles Rams:  Marcus Peters:  $13,369 for an illegal touchdown celebration.  In college, that backward-leap crotch-grab on a pick six would've taken the six off the board -- the rule should be instituted everywhere.
• Cincinnati Bengals: Shawn Williams:  For the helmet hit that got him ejected against Indianapolis QB Andrew Luck?  Only $10,026!
• New York Jets:  Parry Nickerson:  $10,026 for taunting -- on his first official NFL play and tackle.
• Miami Dolphins:  Andre Branch:  Was not fined for a defenseless player hit (Chad Clifton Rule) against Tennessee's Taylor Tewan, which concussed and put out Tewan.  He was fined $10,026 for taunting him afterward!
• Miami Dolphins:  Jordan Phillips:  $10,026, Taunting.
• New Orleans Saints:  David Onyemata, first TWO-TIME LOSER of the year, didn't take him one game to do it.  Fined $40,108 for Roughing the Passer twice.  Not only should that be an ejection offense in the first place, Onyemata was forced to surrender his entire Week 1 paycheck.  He played for free -- he makes just over $39K a week.
• Los Angeles Rams:  Aaron Donald
• Minnesota Vikings: Sheldon Richardson
• Atlanta Falcons:  Grady Jarrett
• Dallas Cowboys:  DeMarcus Lawrence, ALL $20,054 for each Roughing the Passer
• New England Patriots:  Duron Harmon:  $26,739, Unnecessary Roughness
• Pittsburgh Steelers:  Artie Burns:  $13,369 for Unsportsmanlike Conduct
• Baltimore Ravens:  Matt Judon
• Buffalo Bills:  Dion Watkins
• Jacksonville Jaguars:  Cam Robinson, ALL $10,026 for Unnecessary Roughness
• Jacksonville Jaguars:  Yannick Ngakoue, TWO TIME LOSER, $10,026 for a facemask. 
• New York Giants:  Ereck Flowers:  $10,026 for Tripping
• Green Bay Packers:  One of the most egregious escapes of the week was Clay Matthews for THIS:

Somehow, CLAY MATTHEWS will NOT be fined for this late cheap shot on Mitchell Trubisky #Packers

Launches and leads with the crown of the helmet after the QB already threw the ball. This is ridiculous, @NFL! pic.twitter.com/UxyxO9Tmiu

— PirateLife Football (@PirateLifeFF) September 14, 2018

• Miami Dolphins:  This hit that took out Marcus Mariota by William Hayes is probably a close second.  No fine for THIS:

Why is this play not generating more discussion? Mariota hit well after a handoff was finished and was hurt on this play. With how QBs are protected like Fort Knox, no one is talking about this? pic.twitter.com/3D2HH5f4CO

— Matt Prehm (@Prehmmr247) September 14, 2018

The tweeter on the Matthews hit is correct to be outraged Matthews wasn't fined.  That was a clear $20,054 job and 15 yards (be interested, if anyone can recall, which half of the game that no-call took place in) -- but it's not only late, it's a blow to the head, no helmet to be seen, though.

The one on the Hayes hit is correct because it was a clear late submarine job.  If defensive players are going to be fined and the like harder for Roughing the Passer, look for some more innocuous cheap shots like this one!

New York should've buzzed in and reviewed that hit as a "non-football act".  I would not have argued, under the context, had Hayes been ejected.

By my count, that is already 17 of the 32 teams the NFL has fined, and it's Week 1 and the reports are still coming in!

Total fines so far this week:  $264,305
Season total:                          $527,392

And a suspension to report:

• Free Agent:  Ahmad Brooks, banned six weeks.  Though the reason is undisclosed, it's probably from a 2015 sexual battery case (while Brooks was with the 49ers) that Brooks finally settled in January, unless he's already served a suspension for that.