Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict was fined $112,000 for multiple plays that constituted unnecessary roughness in Cincinnati’s Week 6 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The plays that drew the fines included ones involving wide receiver Antonio Brown and running back James Conner during the third quarter.
Brown caught a pass over the middle and was tackled by two Bengals defenders when Burfict flew in with his right elbow, connecting with Brown’s upper body and head area. Brown was down on the turf for a few seconds and was evaluated by the team on the sideline before re-entering the game. After the game, Brown called the play a “nasty hit.”
Burfict has been fined more than $415,000 during his NFL career. The latest sanction is the 11th time he has been fined in his seven NFL seasons.
He also has been suspended twice for a total of six games, including a three-game ban for a hit on Brown during a 2016 playoff game.
Steelers players consistently praise Burfict’s ability as a player but say they wish he would tone down the viciousness.
“He’s hurting his team,” Steelers right tackle Marcus Gilbert said earlier this week. “It could have been a costly penalty right there. Who knows? He should be suspended for that hit. We’ll see. But he’s too good of a football player to be missing games like that.”
Other fines around the NFL:
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Seattle Seahawks safety Bradley McDougald was fined $26,739 for unnecessary roughness on a hit on Oakland Raiders wide receiver Amari Cooper.
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Seahawks defensive end Quinton Jefferson, $10,026 for unnecessary roughness.
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Chicago Bears linebacker Leonard Floyd, $30,080 for two incidents: $10,026 for unnecessary roughness and $20,054 for a hit on Miami Dolphins quarterback Brock Osweiler.
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Baltimore Ravens linebacker Matthew Judon, $26,739 for unnecessary roughness.
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Denver Broncos safety Darian Stewart, $26,739 for a horse-collar tackle.
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Broncos wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, $10,026 for taunting.
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Philadelphia Eagles defensive lineman Michael Bennett, $20,054 for a hit on New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning.
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Indianapolis Colts defensive end Kemoko Turay, $10,026 for unnecessary roughness.
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Giants linebacker Alec Ogletree, $10,026 for unnecessary roughness.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Source : ESPN