NFL Fined Steelers RB Jaylen Warren Entire Game Check For Unflagged Contact Using Helmet Against Browns

Each week, the NFL hands down fines for illegal hits and/or other illegal behavior on the field during the previous week’s games. Generally, when a player does something illegal, referees throw flags. Sometimes, they don’t. One of those cases came with Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren.

During Monday night’s game against the Cleveland Browns, Warren took a screen pass up the sideline for a big game. At the very end of the play, a Cleveland defender came in to knock Warren out of bounds. Warren lowered his head to brace for the hit.

The defender, safety Juan Thornhill, and Warren collided. Warren went down and the play was over. Referees did not penalize Warren or anyone else on the play.

The NFL, though, deemed that Warren illegally used his helmet to initiate contact.

The NFL fined #Steelers RB Jaylen Warren $48,333 for illegal use of helmet in last week’s win over the #Browns.

Here’s the play … which didn’t draw a flag. pic.twitter.com/DA2f35G9tx

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 23, 2023

By the letter of the law, the NFL appears to be correct. Jaylen Warren lowered his helmet and hit Thornill with the crown. That’s illegal. However, it’s a gray area because Warren is a ball-carrier. The argument can be made that Warren is simply bracing for an incoming hit.

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA – SEPTEMBER 18: Jaylen Warren #30 of the Pittsburgh Steelers carries the ball against the Cleveland Browns during the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium on September 18, 2023 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

All of that aside, let’s say the NFL is correct. OK, so they fined Warren. But the amount of the fine is peculiar. As one X (formerly Twitter) user pointed out, the fine ($48,333) amounted to an entire paycheck for Warren.

So that contact means that, essentially, he played the Monday night game for free. In fact, thanks to taxed, he PAID money to play in that game.

Jaylen Warren's gamecheck is exactly $48,333 (before taxes).

So he literally lost his entire week of pay for this play. That's insane. https://t.co/gCWIzy4m2n

— Alex Kozora (@Alex_Kozora) September 23, 2023

Warren makes a very low salary as an undrafted free agent and the NFL doesn’t take player salary into account when determining fines.

But here’s the other curious note: the league fined Denver Broncos safety Kareem Jackson just under $20,000 for his hit on Washington Commanders tight end Logan Thomas.

Fines from Commanders-Broncos in Week 2:

WAS LB Jamin Davis: $21,855 (hit on QB)
WAS DE Chase Young; $16,391 (hit on QB)

DEN LB Nik Bonitto: $7,326 (unnec. roughness)
DEN S Kareem Jackson: $19,669 (unnec. roughness)

— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) September 23, 2023

Not only did referees flag Jackson for the play, they ejected him from the game. That’s how egregious his illegal hit was.

Plus, this was the second week in a row that Jackson was flagged and fined for hitting an opposing player in the head. He concussed both Thomas and Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers.

Yet, he received a fine less than half of Warren’s fine.

Make it make sense.

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Follow Dan Zaksheske on X – formerly known as Twitter: @RealDanZak

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